alone at prom

lights flicker in tune

on and off, off and on

i rest in the background

a dance / an elaborate con.

i watch doll-faced girls

swaying, grinding - petrifying

the thought of attention scares me

i feel safe, but feel like crying.

because some boys are out there

with one thing in mind

dumb, drunk, horny pigs

nothing to say that's kind.

i feel a pang of relief i'm not in the battlefield of hormones.

but then i catch a quick, cute glimpse

of dates hopping around to the beat

happy, beautiful maniacs -

humourously sweet

and the music turns soft

a boy taking a girl's hand

hugging at the waist, the neck

i adorably understand

but as i understand, i still sit in the corner in my gold prom dress my mom had ordered online - Black Friday flashbacks.

and suddenly brisk sadness runs over me

alone at prom, poking fun at those making memories

laughing, dancing, being themselves

a magical couple hours i am confined to only see

i mope by myself

wishing i had my driver's license

until a vision of a hand

reached out in bitter silence

i looked up to see a boy

offering one final dance

to a cheesy, stupid love song

that somehow put me in a trance

and i didn't know what to do

and i never know what to say

but as i looked around slowly -

it was perfect in every way.

and i felt like i was seen

for the first time in a while,

and now the 'stupid, lame, useless' prom

somehow makes me smile.