High School Yearbook Addendum #1
Bullies thrived in the fluorescent lit
and teacherless hallways of my high
school. Knocked textbooks out of hands,
slammed bodies into lockers, and spat
tobacco on shoes. They were also prone
to name-calling and referred to me
as “Fudge Packer.” I always protested,
insisted that it wasn’t true. Never let on
that they were only half wrong, that I did
have a secret crush on my classmate,
Nate Brough. Longed for his tan skin,
muscular thighs, pert mouth, and those
rows of perfect teeth, each one gleaming,
each one undeniably straight.
©2023 Corey D. Cook All rights reserved.
Corey D. Cook’s sixth chapbook, Junk Drawer, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2022. His poems have recently appeared in *82 Review, Black Poppy Review, Duck Head Journal, Muddy River Poetry Review, Naugatuck River Review, Nixes Mate Review, and South Florida Poetry Review. Corey lives in Vermont.