I Forget Where We Were – The Poetry Marathon

I Forget Where We Were

But I remember sneaking Camels from your mom’s purse

Grabbing matches from the front seat of my brother’s car

Thinking we were so cool

Sneaking off somewhere

I forget where

I remember that spark of the match

The sweet smell of sulfur

As I struck the match

The thrilling burn

On the tip of my finger and thumb

And then sucking in the filterless fiend

As you held the match

I remember the fire torching my insides

And not wanting to cough

Not wanting to spit out the avalanche

of nicotine and tar.

I forget where we were

But I remember feeling dizzy

You were so much cooler

Holding in the smoke like a pro

And blowing it out in rings

Standing with one hand on your hip

You didn’t cough

Or gag

Or make an icky face

You weren’t scared of getting caught.

I was all of those things.

I forgot where we were,

But I won’t forget that

you

were

friend.

I don’t miss Camels,

But I do miss you.