soggy pinafores

sitting in puddles of water, with soggy pinafores
little girls are all waiting in line to grow up
tapping scuffed patent leather impatiently
biting fingernails with chipped nail polish
sitting up tall with shoulders back as they were taught
they hold nameplates reading words like
INNOCENCE
NAIVITY
PRECIOUS
eventually all the nameplates are collected
or stolen by the shadows of disappointment
leaving torn fragments of newspapers
to provide new messages
JADED
WISE
EXPERIENCED
something in their eyes changes
once freckled noses with wide smiles
seeing things through cyical sideways glances now
squinting to remember where they misplaced their childhood
moving quickly with sexuality
ill fitting soggy pinafores from
sobs dropping into clenched hands
omission of handling with care