I yearned for seventeen

Dancing around with my teddy bear

Ten year old me would pretend

It was my boyfriend

Who asked me to prom 

(We were the most popular couple at school)

I yearned for seventeen 

Watching Mean Girls and Clueless on repeat

Oh, how I wanted to be Cher Horowitz

“As if!” I would tell my friends

Though none of them understood the reference

I yearned for seventeen

My desire for independence 

Overtaking me

Playing pretend

In my dad’s old Nissan 

Though I had no idea

Which pedal was the gas

And which the brake 

Now I am seventeen 

Yearning for ten

For the times when Christmas

Meant watching Elf and drinking hot chocolate

And asking Mall Santa

For all the presents in the world 

I yearn for ten

When the closest thing to drama

Was a debate over who won the Tetherball match

When fights with friends

Were forgotten with a simple hug

I yearn for ten 

When having a “boyfriend”

Meant holding hands during recess 

And sharing snacks at lunch

When arguments were out of the picture

And there were no worries

About what would happen to our relationship in college 

I yearn for ten

In the same way I yearned for seventeen

Isn’t it funny?

Our childhoods slip away

Like ice in our hands 

Before we even realize 

Idealism taking over appreciation 

Appreciation taking over when it's too late