We’re Going to Be Friends

I can’t eat this breakfast

Because I’ll toss it up

The school bus

Has a boy on it

And the boy

Has a cowlick

And so his hair

Is always messy

And yesterday

A boy made fun of him

And I told the boy

The other boy

The bully

That if he did it again

I’d make him sorry

And he didn’t believe me

So he kept doing it

And he got off at his stop

And I got off too

Even though it was three stops

Before mine

And I walked up behind him

And shoved him down

And kicked him

And I kept kicking him

Until I heard his mom come yelling

And then I ran

And that was yesterday

So if I get on the bus today

I’ll toss my breakfast

If I eat it

Because I did the right thing

But I had to do

The wrong thing

To do the right thing

And I never had

To do that before

Because you always told me

That as long as I did the right thing

I’d be okay

But sometimes…

I think I will have

That toast

If I still can

I think I could stand

A bit of toast

Not a lot of it

But just a slice

Or two

With some jam

I could stand that

Sometimes…

I see Dad come home

And he’s dirty

But he’s not dirty with dirt

He’s dirty with

Something else

And you make him

Take off his clothes in the living room

And I’m upstairs watching

From the top

Of the bannister

And you talk to him

About something he did

And what he did

Always sounds wrong

But then he gives you money

And you give me

Some of it

The next day

So I can buy my lunch at school

When it’s grilled cheese day

Or if I want to go

To Book Faire

One day the money you gave me

Had a spot on it

And the spot was red

And I knew what it was

But I didn’t ask you about it

Because I was afraid

You’d take it back from me

And I couldn’t buy

The book with the elephant

On it

At the Book Faire

I know what telling is

And I know you can’t tell

But I know you can’t do nothing either

So when that boy

Was being mean

I knew I was going to

Have to do something bad

To make it stop

Then I came home

And I take off my uniform

Just like Dad does

And I gave it to you

And I gave you the change

From my lunch that day

Even though Dad always says

To put it in my bank

To save up

For something

One day

I gave it to you

Because that’s how I knew

I’d be forgiven

For whatever I did

But then I woke up

This morning

And I was feeling sick

Like I couldn’t eat

Even though

We were having flapjacks

For breakfast

But I can’t eat any of it

None of it

Or I’ll be sick

Just some toast

I think I could eat

Some toast