Melanie, I love you


I love you because you still haven’t given up in a world where nobody understands you
myself included.
Fighting all the names that doom you, trying to ruin you,
Proving that you are much more than late work, but complex, abstract
artwork.

Because you go to every basketball game,
Sweeping, and score keeping with your freckled face grins
With a laugh louder than our lawn mower and a country bumpkin snort,
rooting for your team to win.
You do all of that when in your face I see anger and disappointment that you have been kicked off the team.

Because you can draw an eyeball and handprint better than anybody I know.
Intricate blood vessels and finger prints, hazel eyes and finger tips.

For fearlessly dancing like nobody is watching,
But I do.
because you don’t hate me when I scream “turn that crap down.”
I watch you, shaking and jumping to your own Tik Tok routine.
I love how the whole house rattles and booms from the music in your attic bedroom.
You sing songs loud
Word for word and note for note.
Even though Lil’ Waynes rap and Ke$has robot voice curl my toes
your melodies make my dimples show.

For not mistaking my screams and red face of furry for hate
and being patient with my inability to relate with
middle school crisis’
boy troubles that leave your head low and make your shoulders quake as tears flow
or how it’s too hard to sit up straight
when you dangle your head upside down over the sofa,
letting the ends of your red hair sway on the wooden floor.

I love all your dumb lies.
When my vanilla crème candle disappeared and you said it’s possible “the demons” did it
And telling Mom that when her money went missing it was because Snowball ate it.
Your eyes grow wider and I call you a liar, and a fight is not a fight
Unless you say “Shut up Dawn”
Stomp your left leg, roll your wide eyes and march away.

Because even though this year you’ve broken my candles, taken my clothes,
used my soap, stolen my money, lost my calculator and flash drive,
taken my agenda, written your name all over my chemistry homework,
misused my computer, and used my white shirt to wipe up a spill,
you will always have my back.

I love you because you are my crazy, little redheaded sister,
But you have always been more of my best friend than that.