i learned the truth at seventeen
love was meant for beauty queens
and high school girls with clear skin smiles
who married young and then retired
the valentines are never new
the friday night charades of youth
were spent on one more beautiful
at seventeen i learned the truth
those of us with ravaged faces
lacking in the social graces
desperately remained at home
inventing lovers on the phone
who call to say come dance with me
and murmur vague obscenities
it isn't all it seems
at seventeen
a brown eyed girl in hand me downs
who's name i never could pronounce
said pretty please to the ones who serve
they only get what they deserve
and the rich relation hometown queen
she marries into what she needs
with a guarantee of company
and a haven for the elderly
remember those who win the game
lose the love they saw to gain
indebentures of quality
and dubious integrity
the small town eyes will gape at you
and act surprised when payment due
exceeds accounts received
at seventeen
to those of us who know the pain
a valentines that never came
and those who's names where never called
when choosing sides for basketball
it was long ago and far away
the world was younger than today
and dreams were all they gave for free
to ugly duckling girls like me
we all play the game when we dare
to cheat ourselves that's all a tear
inventing lovers on the phone
repenting other lives unknown
that call and say come dance with me
and they murmur vague obscenities
ugly girls like me
at seventeen