Something genius
Paula was a quiet girl
most of the time
she is into her dolls and her toys
sometimes fusses over
bedtime when Marie sits
for her, but now the parents
are all here, hers and Marie's
talking about adult things
and drinking wine.
Paula's uninterested in the noise
that falls out of their mouths
and Marie's mouth especially
but Marie is bored.
"Ugh, old people," she says
which Paula thinks is rude.
"Respect your elders, Ma'am."
Marie laughed a little,
a little ironic that a seven year old
told her to respect her elders -
she wanted to step outside and smoke.
what do you want to do
when you grow old?
Paula looks at her with childish disdain
"I don't want to grow old"
Marie was about to say the genius
agreed with her but Paula says
as the wine takes the adults over
"I don't wanna grow old and forget more than make"
