Untitled - Anonymous, age 15
When I was little I would cough
Whenever we walked past smokers,
Thinking I could shame them
Into quitting.
I never thought
It would be me
With the stick between my lips,
Exhaling the smoke.
And I suppose
There’s a metaphor somewhere
About how I jinxed myself
To give into the urge.
But I’m too lazy to find it.
So instead I’ll just stand here,
Listening to another little girl
Cough as she walks past.