Kindergarten Recess

Poem by Karen Abeyta

NOTE: The following piece contains strong language and may be triggering for some readers.

Kindergarten recess––

Skip, jump, slide!

Over a swarm of busy bees

Miss Gloria did preside.

Miss Gloria stood reigning

with an eyeroll, giggle, wink,

missed three small boys scheming

up something you wouldn’t think.

Kindergarten recess––

Tag, ball, run!

Three naughty boys slithering

up behind me to have some fun.

Good ‘ol Miss Gloria

“Boys-will-be-boys” chiding

behind her tall black beehive,

three precocious boys a’ hiding.

Kindergarten recess––

Let’s swing to and fro!

Thrusting hips entrap, I

scream silent as falling snow

Miss Gloria, Miss Gloria

Please won’t you take a peek?

I smell his milk and cookies breath

my ear glued to his cheek.

Kindergarten recess––

Now it's time to play!

I’m not sure what they’re doing

but I cannot get away.

Miss Gloria with beehive swiveled

allowed the boys to buzz

‘round my naïve honeycomb

she never saw it ‘cause, it’s

Kindergarten recess––

Let’s climb a tree!

I wish I’d smashed knuckles to teeth

or their crotches with my knee.

Even now I feel their breath

their voices always pushy

chanting aloud for all to hear

“I’m gonna get me some p––––.”

I didn’t even have a cat.

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about the artist

Karen Abeyta

Karen lives in Vermont with her husband and (sometimes) her two kids who attend college. A true theology geek, she enjoys helping people understand the Bible. Her work has been published in Fathom Magazine, Heartstrong Faith, Sacred Stories Ministries, Saturday SOULfood, and Just Between Us.

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