"New Room" (12th grade)

We moved when I was eight.
A new neighborhood, a new house.
A new room to share with my sister.
A room to play Barbies and stuffed animals in,
to have tea parties with the neighbor girls,
and to look over to the park and be able to see the outfielders
during a ball game.
To climb out the window and onto the carport,
getting in trouble with Mom and Dad.
At night, to be deathly afraid of the dark in a new house,
and the two attics outside our door.
I would run down to Mom and Dad's room,
and beg them to let me sleep on the floor by their bed,
making my sister mad when she learned the next morning
that I left her alone upstairs.
A new room to enjoy talking and giggling with my sister
long into the night,
making up things like the magic closet and the secret trap door.
Rearranging our furniture and arguing
over whose bed would go where.
Having slumber parties
and trying to stop our little brother and sister
from coming up to bug us.
Having to sleep downstairs on the hot summer nights
when the temperatures could reach 100 degrees in our room.
Many good memories and a few bad.
The new room, made familiar and our own.