At nineteen

[kannika]

to the tune of Janis Ian's At Seventeen (force your way into the song with my words, though)

I learned the truth at niiiineteen
that love was made for people vaguely in their teens
and girls who can smile for no reason other than
knowing that their noses won't stretch out
to encompass their faces and others'.

The valentines I never knew
and the roses that were for you and you and you
but never me
were spent on one more beautiful
At niiiineteen I learned the truth.

And those of us with naturally ugly faces
Lacking in the social/psychological/moral/ethical graces
Desperately remained at the dorm
Inventing textmates on one's cellphone,
who text to say,
"Cme, let's EB"
and give you load so you're forced to agree
It's disillusionment for free
at niiiineteen.

A brown-eyed girl in an ill fitting gown
whose name starts with a Z and ends with an H
said, "Blah blah blah blah, I'll never
blah blah blah blah because I'm pretty
but reserved."

And the rich-relationed conyo queen
Says "parrrrrang" like it's the last word on earth
A guarantee of forever white skin
and skirts that barely cover their ---

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah