100 Love Poems by Teenagers: Falling Hard

Sitting on the porch swingamidst the sea of suburbiawhere cookie-cutter soulscome home every day at 5 to the raised ranchshe strolls on by in her arcane soignée styleplaying her saxophone to a haunting melodyso the whole wide world can hear herher motives, an enigmayet she charms us all with her sophisticationher difference in this worldhow I long to meet herget whisked away by her songyet mother says I’m still too infatuatedto cross the streetand far too young for jazzJOSEPH LINDBLAD, age 14Tilt the halo over my headI don’t care what the caution tape readIt’s time to get a little dangerousLet’s fall in love.Forget the scriptures, forget the pastConscience and common sense never lastIt’s time to get a little curiousLet’s fall in love.RACHEL McCARREN, age 15At workThere’s actually only one thing I care about.It’s a girl with brown hair and brown eyesShe’s short, she comes up to my shoulders or my chinToday I was going to ask her a question,has anyone ever fallen in love with you while you work?Because, I wanted to tell her, I always fall in lovewith girls like you.She called my name from the other roomI was washing dishesShe asked me if the music was alright,it was Simon and Garfunkel — here’s to you Mrs. Robinson.When she came in, soapy handed I mentionedthat I needed to see The Graduate againShe’d never seen it she said. Who’s in that?Dustin Hoffman.NICK ROSS-RHUDY, age 17GiftI would break you make youbreathe hard for me,take in more air,as if I was there to breathe it too.Nonsensenonsuchaswecould survive this journey.I would score you bleed youscream you,find you unwanting, unlacking,in everything I want.You are a thesaurus with nowords, book of my heartand sickened stomach.I would ask you where you stand,if I did not know you betterI would say you float:Delicate.Your name spells ornate strength.You are the castle I point for,gaining power as I go up the clouds,out of breath:Keep breathing for mebreathe harder,take in more air,as if I was thereto breathe it too.Lost maps and a few countries laterI could drive under your window,Couldn’t I?And ask how have you been have you got enough timeto go for a drive?But what I’ll really mean isare you ready to dive in?This is not falling,this is landing.PORTIA CARRYER, age 16_______FALLING HARD by Betsy Franco. Copyright © 2008 by Betsy Franco. Published by Candlewick Press, Inc., Somerville, MA.