I knew i liked her from the start
eighth grade glory at the lake … and girls
she was tall and lanky, just like me
no fat to spare and ribs like the grill of a jeep
with two little headlights adjoining her breastbone
her blond hair dyed green like an amazon canopy
hiding the eyes and smile held underneath
She played baseball, swam, and liked to moon
We met at noon, became friends at one,
by two we were rowing clear across the water
to the island of romance and sandy rendezvous
and panic at three when she asked, may i kiss you?

(words used — moon, lake, glory, jeep, breastbone, spare, canopy, panic)