At fourteen you don’t need sickness or death for tragedy.
– Jessamyn West
To Whom It Concerns
This is the poem that 13-year-old Darlene Connor wrote on the sitcom “Roseanne.” I heard it the other day and found it funny and sweet, so I’m putting it up here. That's all.
To whom it concerns,
Darlene’s work will be late,
It fell on her pancakes
And stuck to her plate.
To whom it concerns,
My mom made me write this,
And I’m just her kid,
So how could I fight this.
To whom it concerns,
I lost my assignment,
Maybe I’ll get lucky,
Solitary confinement.
To whom it concerns,
Darlene’s great with the ball,
But guys don’t watch tomboys
When they’re cruising the hall.
To whom it concerns,
I just turned thirteen,
Too short to be quarterback,
Too plain to be queen.
To whom it concerns,
I’m not made of steel,
When I get blindsided
My pain is quite real.
I don’t mean to squawk,
But it really burns.
I just thought I’d mention it,
To whom it concerns.
