Ode to the End of Summer

No more bright sunny days
Instead, the four, windowless walls
Standing at a computer
Instead of standing with rocks and sand
Between my toes

Summer, I'm sorry I did not
Earlier appreciate you
I took you for granted
I thought you were just
Hotter days of fall

I fell in love
With the water
And the sound of the tides
When I would put my ear to the beach

I turned three shades darker
Not knowing how much
Browner a
Brown girl could get

I queered the beach
When people called my
Boy, son, or Mister
I let it roll of of me, like the tides

I tried reading some
But mostly failed when I fell asleep
The harsh sun was not friendly
To the pages

Thank you summer
For teaching me more
Than I have ever learned
See you next year, but earlier