Circles

Tears. Tanbark. Tommy.
Or at least I think it was Tommy.
I never really thought to get his name when he was
Pushing me down on the playground.
It's silly because that kind of thing - unfortunately
Happens all the time.
But I remember over and over again falling into
A circle drawn in the dirty wooden chips.
I used to get up. I used to try
And stand tall because
Who was he to tell me
That I had to sit in the dirt in a circle for
All of recess?
But I just kept getting pushed down.
And I was resigned that it was what my life would be,
That I was someone who was meant
To be sitting in the dirt.
So eventually I stopped standing up
And the next year
I made sure that I did as much as I could
To not go to recess
Because I didn't need Tommy to push me down
Into a circle anymore.
I did it myself.