smoke
the smell
and thickness of eyeliner
that surrounds
green
eyes

perfect lips
she said she was molly ringwald
and she did have
the
red
hair

along with a boyfriend
named Travis
with
olives
for
skin

I wanted to be her
I was 11
she was timeless
in her f~l~o~w~i~n~g skirts
sweaters and peace beads

telling me I shouldn't
smoke,
'honey, put that
cigarette away and
hear me
don't you change'

fragile but wiry
she showed me
what strong means

and that there's
a
world
to
face
but
not
to
fear

03/14/2003

Author's Note: My memory of her is hazy. I was never good friends with her - she was 4 or 5 years old than I was. But I have vivid memories of her that surface from time to time and it makes me wonder how she'd have impacted me had I known her better. Mostly I think of the times she spoke to me and made me feel a part of her world. She had a magic I thought I could never ever touch. I have one of her CDs. It's a long story as to how I ended up with it, but every time I see it or hear a Violent Femmes song, I think of Charlie. Maybe someday I'll find out whatever happened to her. I'd like to think she and Travis are married somewhere with a bunch of olive-skinned, red-haired babies.

Posted on 03/15/2003
Copyright © 2024 Emily G Myers