Skynyrd

the tuesday playlist for the local radio station
is a bit more predictable than it is on the other days
because there is one song
i know for sure
that i'm gonna hear

and myself
i'm just as predictable
my pensive moments triggered by familiar ballads
reading deeply into the lyricism of not-so-well spoken rock icons
thinking back to the moments of my youth that
were as hard to make it through as these

watching a movie with only my right eye
sophomore year in high school
because the left one was swollen shut

mom out with the devil knows who
contention growing between me and my step dad
the acne
the not fitting in
the not getting the girl
the not feeling hopeful for the future

i wish i could say that things have
changed
a lot
but
at least the acne went away