So Pretty
It must've been third grade
Niva had the fashionista flair
and told me I'd be so pretty if
I feathered back my hair
Little girls want to be pretty
grown-up girls want it too
I'm still singing along thinking
"I think I'll dye my hair blue"
It must've been fifth grade
Zoica had such quiet grace
and told me I'd be so pretty if
it weren't for those freckles on my face
I didn't tell her I liked them then
or that I haven't liked them since
I'm still envying the voices of pretty girls
singing songs on loan from Prince
It must've been seventh grade
Dibone was in a new neighborhood
and told me I'd be so pretty if
my nose lay flatter than it could
Though I press it down so gently
I think it turns up even more
I'm still wishing for that Irish man
to find what we're looking for
It must've been ninth grade
the acting school lady held my fate
and told me I'd be so pretty if
I'd just go and lose some weight
And I learned to court the hunger
and punish myself for each pound
and Johnette's words still pick me up
when all the words fall down
It must've been my wedding day
when I looked at my reflection
and told me I'd be so pretty if
I had learned to take direction
but my potential was already spent
and I only had myself to blame
you know the more things change
the more I still stay the same
March 2006
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