If You’re Not an Older Sister

If you’re not an older sister,
you don’t know stupidity,
you can’t know stupidity.
“Is South Dakota a country or a state…or is it a continent?”
“Why did the power go out?!”
…when there were way too many things
plugged into a single circuit.
“Why’d this shirt shrink?”
…when its label reads “dry clean only”
…not “after cleaning in washer, dry in dryer.”
If you’re not an older sister,
you don’t know stupidity.

If you’re not an older sister,
you don’t know anger,
you can’t know anger.
Brand new shirts going missing the day they’re wanted,
only to be returned later…dirty,
or worse yet, damaged.
Clothing put in the washer,
never to be seen…
until one day she’s wearing it.
If you’re not an older sister,
you don’t know anger.

If you’re not an older sister,
you don’t know weird,
you can’t know weird.
Your sister and friends talking fast,
very fast, too fast to understand…
unless you’re them.
One minute they’re best friends,
the next…enemies?  
…then friends again…?
Saying they’re tired and need sleep…finally!
Then five minutes later
they want a ride to the mall…ugh!
If you’re not an older sister,
you don’t know weird.

If you’re not an older sister,
you don’t know the meaning of fat,
you can’t know the meaning of fat.
“I’m so fat…I so need to lose like ten pounds!”
“Does this shirt make me look fat?”
…no matter my reply, I’m always wrong…
often receiving the comment I need to lose weight…
never without the comment
that she looks so much skinnier than me…
oh wait, she is.
If you aren’t an older sister,
you don’t know the meaning of fat.

If you’re not an older sister,
you don’t know the meaning of annoying,
you can’t know the meaning of annoying.
Stupid questions never ceasing,
Missing clothing, never to be worn again…by you anyway,
weird behavior, that will certainly never cease,
and apparently being the fattest person alive.
If you aren’t an older sister,
you’ll never understand my life.

Amira Loveridge