How have you been? It has been awhile

The last time we spoke was in a classroom.

You read a book and I stared at the tile.

You gave me work. I looked around the room.

You asked me why I didn’t do my work.

I said I could not see, that it was blurred.

You took it and gave me extra homework.

Stupid, you said. Stupid. How dare you. How absurd.

That stupid girl now wears glasses. Shiny

Medals now hang from her wall.  Taped posters.

She wasn’t bound for anything tiny.

Her perspective changed as she got older.

I still won’t let those two words go although

I hope we could start over with hello.