The sun beams the strongest, 
I let the light hit my head. 
Always doing something in July– 
The month I see no one and everyone 
 
The lonely middle child of summer, 
Filled with a monstrosity of loneliness  
The programs with precoded friends– 
The dehydration of attention 
 
I find out the worst news, 
Let the letdown trickle down my cheeks 
Smile at the sun as it burns so much stronger 
Let it pour bleach in my eyes 
 
I let my insides creep up to the surface 
The tan pulling through for the first time in months. 
Finally swimming in the reality of my being  
And envying the body of my betters– 
 
The summertime sad seeps in, 
The ropes on my bed get harder to writhe out of, 
My friends call my name much softer than before 
Like the waves from the distance 
 
The reality of it all looms over me  
The city of home and growth drifts  
The pool gets smaller  
The bed and basement in a whirlpool 
 
As college is fishbowled 
It splashed on me  
And I can’t get dry– 
The future is hitting me over the head  
 
The wooden board keeps cracking. 
The egg is almost broken. 
My world is almost gone, 
And I just taught her to walk 
 
The steps she takes loom larger, 
The seas more dangerous– 
The waves crash over me  
And I can no longer tell what put salt in my eyes.