Tall  

Always tallest, from kindergarten to graduation

“Big Laura” a dubious distinction bestowed by a teacher when there were two Laura’s

Clumsy in corrective shoes I despised

Didn’t want glasses, didn’t have a choice

“Eventually I’ll grow out of this awkward phase, right?”

Flat-footed, frequently tripping, falling spectacularly

Gangly, long skinny stick-legs always in a tangle

Hovering over the heads of always-shorter-than-me friends

“If I could be petite, would I want to be?”

Just a thought…

Kinship with my younger sister, nearly as tall

“Lope like a small pony” said Mom, drawing awareness to my strides

Making my best friend take three steps to one of mine as we walked to school

Not aware of it at the time

Oblivious to how little others noticed my stature

“Pull in your tummy, stand up straight” Mom instructed

Quiet, shy, attempting to blend in

Regularly wishing boys would get their growth spurts

“Surely you play basketball… ” a common and unoriginal assumption

“Tall! All Miss America’s are tall” Mom pointed out as we watched televised pageants

Undeniable, though I was no beauty queen

Valued her intent all the same.

Wary of short boys who’s snide remarks I learned to ignore; their “short-comings” I accepted later

“X” marks the spot on the wall when at last I stopped growing

Youthful yet often mistaken for older

Zero chance that I can change my tallness, finally embracing it.

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A poem in the Abecedarian style, by Spence’s Girl, standing 6 ft 1/4 inches at my tallest…..