Peripheral Girl

I like to listen to you
listen to you talk
talk to other people
so I don't listen to you
listen to what you say
you say I like to listen to you
like to listen to the sound
the sound of your voice
your voice rising, falling, bubbling like water
like streams full of sunshine and catfish
like your riverbed eyes
eyes full of rounded rocks and wet leaves
I like to listen to you
to listen and look
I like to look at your face
to listen and look
I like to pretend
pretend I'm too young to care
to care about sunburns and tangles
run into your eyes and your voice
like the girl I was before I grew up
I grew up a little and ran
ran into a creek now run dry