On Turning Ten: Words Borrowed from Billy Collins

On Turning Twelve

The whole idea of it makes me feel like I'm mature,

like I've accomplished something.

You tell me it's too early to feel mature, 

but I look back and remember every digit:

At 6, I was careless,

At 8, happy-go-lucky,

At 10, a weirdo.

But now, I am mostly writing reports and proofreading papers.

This is the beginning of the end, I say to myself, 

as I close my highlighter.

It's time to say goodbye to jumping in water fountains,

time to turn the pages of my own book.

It seems only yesterday that I was the youngest one in my family.

Now I babysit my brother so his yaya can have dinner.

On Turning 12

The whole idea of it makes me feel like a prisoner 

in a kind of paranormal life

an emotionless life

a hard task

I lie on my bed and think back on every digit:

At 1 I was extremely important

At 5 I was smarter

At 10 I was becoming dumber by the hour

Now I am mostly stressed, 

happy only when I am home.

This is the beginning of puberty, of growing up,

I say to myself as I see younger children playing without a care

It's time to say goodbye to having no one to tell you what's right or wrong,

and to be responsible for your own choices,

time to listen to the annoying, "Do your homework"

"It's too late to stay up!" or "Go to bed!"

It seems only yesterday that I was able to do anything I wanted.

Now I'm stuck in this depressing state of responsibility.

- M. M.

On Turning 10

The whole idea of it makes me feel like I can't breathe,

a kind of happy thought with a downside,

an opposite thing, an irony

a book with a happy ending 

and a really long plot.

You tell me it's impossible, but I just feel that way.

I can lie on my bed and remember every digit:

At 7, I was a banker who always saved money.

At 8, I was an author.

At 9, a comedian.

Now I am mostly a lawyer, who defends every decision.

This is the beginning of a new adventure,

I say to myself, as I think of the things I can do.

It's time to say goodbye to my old self,

time to change and turn a new age.

It seems only yesterday that I read my favorite books

And now it's time to move on to another great plot. 

- A.M.