Dear teacher: The Dog Has Teeth

Location

Marian High School
273 Union Avenue Framingham, Ma
United States
35° 8' 26.5128" N, 90° 2' 39.3936" W

 

To the teacher who supervised study:

Remember the girl who was my best friend,

The girl who sits in front of me…

She called me Bitch in front of everybody today

And you didn’t hear her

(I think you need to invest in hearing aids).

 

I know we aren’t supposed to listen to iPods in study,

but see the girl next to me, the one whose name you actually remember,

she used her tongue to cut me apart

(and I can’t stand to hear the sound of her voice anymore)

 

I am only sleeping in your class because it’s easier than being awake

At least then I can’t see her face and she can’t see the tears.

The girl ripped the headphones off my ears.

I told her to leave me the fuck alone.

The girl took my books.

I asked you to make her give them back.

You did.

But you never asked me if I was okay.

But you went back to doing nothing.

 

To my English teacher:

The dog didn’t eat my homework,

she ate me.

You watched, but never saw.

The real reason I don’t have my paper today

is because I was too busy wishing on every star in the sky last night

that I would die so I didn’t have to return here.

I wish you’d pay closer attention…

I don’t think I can listen to her talk about me anymore.

 

To the chaperones at prom:

Why can’t you see them pointing or laughing?

Am I that invisible?

The dog has a boyfriend now.

When she laughs at me she holds his hand

and he laughs too.

 

To the principle:

The dog left bite marks in my side,

It’s the reason I don’t do as well on tests anymore,

It’s the reason I don’t eat in the cafeteria…

You gave the dog the award I wanted since 9th grade…

I was no longer good enough… the dog bit me

and she laughed as I fell silently to the ground

and I couldn’t tell you anything

because I knew you would have done nothing.

 

 

Comments

Additional Resources

Get AI Feedback on your poem

Interested in feedback on your poem? Try our AI Feedback tool.
 

 

If You Need Support

If you ever need help or support, we trust CrisisTextline.org for people dealing with depression. Text HOME to 741741