writing and writing

it’s funny.

I've been playing dumb my whole life.

I allowed people to treat me like a naïve little girl.

I am physically little.

barely 100 lbs of lean muscle and flabby belly skin and scabs.

but I think it was around third grade when i stopped being naïve.

perhaps it was on the day when my third grade teacher said

“I follow my students and watch where they go. I would love to read about you in the papers.”

-Mrs.Cinciola (sp?) circa 2003

that same teacher had a conference with my parents in which I was included.

she told me I was reading at a college level and so they weren’t sure what sort of materials to give me for reading lessons.

adult level books with… child-appropriate themes?

what is appropriate for a child like that?

i tried to read War and Peace

or was it Crime and Punishment?

and remember thinking to myself

that i was frustrated that the themes were over my head despite understanding the literal words

i didn’t yet know the language of War, Peace, Crime, nor Punishment

as a teacher myself now, i would have been scared in her shoes

the way i am scared now when i look at my daughter

who is undeniably smarter than i

walkie-talkie walked and talked like a little adult by 15 months

Her Majesty,

Ꮤorlds’ Ꮿueen Ꮎctävia าünior {否極}泰來 Violet the 5th Ꮬchwånk 林

no pressure

she is walking and talking at

12 months old

and training her kittens

and helping carry the groceries into the house

and painting pumpkins

and sharing snacks and kisses with her friends

she is kind and brave

and stubborn and strong

and so sweet and beautiful

she can walk in clown shoes

this sounds like a poem

and it is

but I’m just stating facts about my daughter

check out our TikTok @eightwaysgames for video evidence

and it is all thanks to the beautiful people around her

thank you

thank you

thank you