Special Judges Award

“Well, This Is New”

By Janna Parsons - WA

(Poem)

The shift, when it comes to those who weren’t born with it, is a subtle one.

It’s all in the eyes, you see.

Suddenly mine were lingering where they didn’t used to,

Picking up details they usually don’t.

I’m noticing the girl on my left

Instead of the boy on my right.

She’s wearing that worn-out butterfly clip again,

And there’s a smudge on her glasses where she always pushes them up,

And a lock of her hair has fallen into her yes and—

Why do I suddenly care?

I like men, or at least I thought I did.

I had crushes on boys and I admire muscle.

But something about this girl draws me in like a moth to flame,

And I know she would crisp my wings if I flew too close.

I don’t care, though.

I want to push this new fixation.

Has she noticed my incessant staring?  Does she care?

Does she knew the tattooed daisy on her ankle shows when she crosses her legs

And the hem of her pants slides up just enough for me to get a glimpse?

Well, none of those questions matter.

I’m almost as fascinated with myself as I am with her.

So many things I haven’t noticed before…

Something in more—or her—makes me want to reach out and touch.

Attraction?

Possibly.  Probably.

But the thought doesn’t scare me as much as I thought it might.

The rest of the class passes without comment until the end,

When I’m gathering my things and notice her looking at me—

One eyebrow raised to show she knows I were staring,

The light in her brown eyes says she doesn’t mind

I smile back, tentatively, still not entirely sure f my footing.

The scrap bit of paper she tosses me is folded tight,

So I can see the numbers written clearly on the inside.

Well, this is new, I think, but slide it into my pocket anyway.

And it is.  New.

But I’m hardly the type to disregard on principle

And my curiosity is piqued.

I’ll think it over—this new shift in me and the resulting development.  And her offer.

I’ll think it over—but as I watch her hips sway slightly as she leaves the classroom,

I have a feeling my answer won’t be No.