Beautiful Brucey
at first, you might be easy to miss
not physically-- for you are as BIG a giant oak
if fact, your size might just scare people
your eyes might seem a little shifty
and you could be called evasive or even
standoffish or maybe even guilty
it kinda makes you easy to ignore
and then there’s your
refusal to do your work
hard headed, class clown
DEFIANT
Nobody has time for someone
One who won’t help themselves
and let’s be honest Bruce
you steal
bikes
nobody likes that
not even your mom
but then you’re not sure she
likes you
even when you were
CONFRONTED
you didn’t really care
stating you weren’t afraid
of jail…..almost like you had
decided that’s where you belong
one day you were spotted
riding your bike
like a five-year boy
free as a bird
and you were
beautiful
not easy to miss
around that time is when you became Brucey
and we began to see you
your size that makes you so
scary
comes in handy at rugby
where you are the MVP
and your eyes that seemed a little shifty
brightened up like stars on the blackest night
as we stood on the sidelines
cheering you on
your “refusal” to do your work
your DEFIANCE –proves to be an obvious mask
you are tired of just not knowing
amazingly...it lifted during
the 14 hours we spent at my house
working on your project
when I woke up
you were still awake typing
also early one morning
i saw you on a bike
riding your sister on your handlebars
and your brother on the pegs
their taxi to school-
its true nobody likes a thief
and I know you agree
but Brucey,
nobody likes poverty,
hopelessness and
let's be honest
nobody likes riding two
siblings to school
only to be late to
your own
i see you fighting
to be beautiful
but I want you to know
you … already are
our eyes just aren’t trained
to see it
but thank you Brucey
because of you
i feel beautiful too
