New Poem: YEARNING CURVE

 it was so hard in those years

 growing into my teens

 kept on a parental leash

 wanting female companionship 

 without knowing what to say

 and how to listen to what was said

 >

 at 21, I was emotionally aged 14

 but somehow was blessed with 

 women wanting my companionship 

 and I began the transition from writing

 unattainable people’s names in notebook margins

 to learning what to say 

 and when to say nothing—

 especially to not overreact 

 to hearing the word “no”