The kid in my chem class
With words sharp as glass
You may not have left shards in my face
Instead, lifelong etchings in my memory
I remember you

The teacher
Who went along with it
Playing the game of survival
Yes, I remember you too
I remember you both

The jerks, the jocks, the gossipers
The wedgie-givers, the name-callers
I don’t blame you for wanting to fit in
You might not remember me among the countless others
But yeah, I remember you

The misunderstood kid
You had FREAK taped to your forehead
A label given by the clothes you wore, the music you listened to
But so did I
I remember you

And I regret not reaching out more
For I did what I was supposed to do
And not what I needed to do

The kid
Who smiled at me as I floated through the hallways
Feeling more invisible than the reason for life itself
Not just for sharing that smile, but for reversing the spell
I remember you

You know
No matter if you were one of the pack or a lone Samaritan
When I’m 78 and grey
I’ll remember you
I’ll thank you
For molding me into who I am
For setting the basis for what I stand for
For showing me that I am not perfect
But I am beautiful.