A poem that’s been percolating for a long time
With gratitude to Maggie Smith
She was first.
Alphabetically. Ago.
The first desk
in the first row
the first week of 7th grade.
1970.
She was thin, pale, with short light hair.
She was there.
Then she wasn’t.
She died, they told us.
We all moved up one,
Ahearn took the first desk.
So long ago.
So long, Ago.
You were first,
the first of us
to go.