Helen Pruitt Wallace, Shimming the Glass House
(The Ashland Poetry Press, 2008)
978-0-912592-63-3, $14.95


Middle School Social Rules
a found poem

Once you've entered the social,
you may not leave.
There's no spoon dancing,
no shoulder bumping,
no hip grinding against
another student. No kissing,
no hands below the waist,
no conga-line dancing,
or circle dancing,
and no slam dancing
on the dance floor.
No riding on another's
back, no throwing
someone in the air,
no being passed around
by a group, no head
banging, no jumping
around on top of others,
(if you want to jump,
jump straight up and down).
All other school rules apply.