Poetry by 14-Year-Old Julia Broder

28th Street Beach

I race to the garage,
Reaching up,
Trying to keep a grip on my dad’s big hand.
Bursting with excitement
I spot my treasure behind the bicycles,
I scoop up the beach toys,
Eager, excited and proud to help
My dad tells me how strong I am,
how much I am helping him,
I’m so proud of myself!
I run to my mom
She is beaming with joy
As the walk continues,
I describe the sand filled cupcakes,
Detailing extravagant flavors,
I felt smart.
I save two whole sandcastles
Then cupcake mold from falling
I feel like a hero to my whole family
My imagination peaked,
I can do anything.
My siblings and I built endless sandcastles today,
Made purely of imagination.
It was simple,
happy, perfect.
Now, I’m 14
and the toy bag feels too heavy
I dread carrying it
I ask my dad to put the bag into the cart,
It tears on my shoulder,
wearing me out.
I wonder how I ever felt so good about something,
Something that is now a horrible experience
I look at the toys,
wondering if I will even use them today.
I remember the creations we once made,
Now I look down at the toys,
Calling my name.
“Julia?”
Where have you gone?
you forgot about our joys,
They speak for me to never forget.

Playground

In a realm of the entrance,
The green structure waves
It rests after the long summer of play
From the childrens daytime of tears and laughter
To the teenagers warming it through cold nights,
Now you may breath for yourself.
You wave to me,
You thank me:
for keeping you company for years,
for never letting you go
for never outgrowing you,
for keeping you company
I thought I was too old for you,
But I brought my friends,
I boasted of your greatness,
how special you are
From the cracks in the ground,
To your peeling and your mismatched swings
Appreciating every last detail.
I thought I was going to be called weird, or judged
I was worried for us
But they understood our love
I wonder the last time you were
A pirate ship
or a secret hideout?
When was the last time we
Raced across you?
Or soared in the sky on your swings?
Thank you for:
Never letting me go,
Never leaving me with boredom
For always being there.
I will never be too old.
I will always keep you company, forever

Sunset

I dread this night
My mom pulls out her phone,
Stepping back against the wood ledge,
It creeks like always
My arms slowly fall back onto the wooden boards
I gently rest them in a perfect pose,
Looking out into the town
The sun is descending into the blue water
Annoyed I ask,
When will this end?
Can we go to The Buccaneer?
These will not matter to me. What do you mean here? These pictures?
This goes on forever.
I give a half smile
Watching the camera,
Hearing the shutters
Behind my sister,
I see my mom
Sticking her tongue out,
Trying to get me to laugh
“The quicker you smile,
the quicker we will get you Buccaneer”
I never liked taking photos.
She says we are creating memories,
I did not think I would ever want them now.
I blink.
A decade passes
And I have changed
We’re in the same spot and
I see my mom
Sticking her tongue out,
Trying to get me to laugh
I hear my dad, is this enough?
Let’s just go to The Buccaneer
Take more, I say
I want to pick the best.
Pose
after
pose
my body moves
I reach up to touch my long waves.
What changed?
Why do I want the pictures now that I am older?
Do I really care about others’ opinions this much?
I feel the sighs
I want to keep taking more
Why do I care so much?
What changed?
Just yesterday I wanted nothing to do with this,
Now I cannot stop.