In Pictures

I watched you age
from teased blonde bangs

reluctant countertop kisses
heavily eyeshadowed
reject from Dallas

To model designer
your obvious pride
in your own fortitude
and creativity

and then
all I saw were pictures
of you and he

and in all of them
you were smiling.

the only picture
I can remember in
which you weren't playing
some role

was when you glared
roller-skate skinny
teenage obnoxious condescension

and I knew then
who you would have been
had you been my age
at the time.