This Song I'M Listening To

I hear once more the lyrics of this song I'm listening to- a gentle blast from my very youthful past, and I am back in middle school, an attractive skinny girl despite the horn rimmed glasses which have gotten me the nickname of “Four eyes” and the large beehive hairdo I have to rat with my comb painstakingly each morning. I am in the music room of my eighth grade practicing with Swing Choir, the group that I’ve auditioned for and am thrilled to be a part of. A cute boy stands tall among all the others in the back row of the male section. We are all singing - “This Guy’s in Love. This guy’s in love with You.” My heart is pounding with the melody as I watch my current crush so longingly, imagining he sings the words to me alone. Could my life yet to be lived ever compare to my happiest vivid daydreams? “When you smile, I can tell we know each other very well.” I think he sees me watching him. I look away. This scene will be replayed again and again in other classrooms where I’ll be watching other boys that I'll be crushing on and hoping they are watching me as well. But now, just for now - I sing the words with my group - “Don’t let my heart keep breaking. . .” My soul fills with teenage angst. Oh to be young again with such sweet aching not yet knowing I’ll soon be getting walked home from school by that cute tall boy named Chico. Written Feb. 7, 2016 for the Solitary Moments Poetry Contest of Mystic Rose The song is "This Guy's in Love" written by Burt Bacharach and performed byHerb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. (please hear it in the link above)