In fall they went to preschool
dressed in the clothes their mothers picked for them
walking by the mirror without a glance
they played hide and seek
and made believe
and listened to what the teachers told them
because they were supposed to
a few falls later they went to high school
dressed in clothes they wrestled from their parents
after spending hours in the mirror
they played the dating game
and made excuses for staying out past curfew
and forgot what their teachers told them
because they had better things to do
