Elizabeth Rebel - Boyfriends

When I was little
I had boyfriends
That weren’t boyfriends
Because they were
Just my guy-friends
Boys that were my friends
They came over and
No one crinkled their nose
Mother smiled and made us lunch
And didn’t seem to mind much
That boys put their hands
On my skinny arms and thin hips
(Like she does now)
And girls didn’t point and jeer
Saying how loose I had to be
With so many boys near
No one seemed to understand
That when I said boyfriend
I didn’t mean boyfriend
I meant—
my friends, that were boys
But now I don’t have any
Boyfriends (guy friends, I mean)
Because they won’t look
At me anymore
And everyone thinks
I’m a whore
Because once, when I was small
I had boyfriends
That weren’t my boyfriends at all

Elizabeth Rebel

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/boyfriends/