Confessional

by Julia P.

I wish I could be a man, 

Then I wouldn’t have to marry the boy next door, 

He’s ugly and immature and he tried to steal my dog. 

He told me that I was ugly enough to be a witch. 

My mom likes to tell me who she thinks is next. 

Today she says it’s Athena Pine. 

She’s beautiful, polite, and ladylike as can be. 

Athena’s father claims that she can talk to god. 

I don’t know if I believe him. 

Yesterday we went to church. 

Athena sat next to me, she smells like rose petals

Her hair looks like spun gold. 

If I were a man I would ask her for her hand in marriage

Instead I make small talk and tell my diary about it later. 

Today I went to church for confesional. 

I won’t tell them anything that matters. 

The woman in front of me says that: 

Athena is going to relieve us of our sins today. 

My mom laughs, I don’t.

I go into confessionals  

I tell the person on the other side to forgive me because I have sinned. 

I tell them that I wish I didn’t have to marry the boy down the street. 

Anybody else would be fine

The fisherman’s son is kind, handsome, and hardworking

I tell the person behind the curtain so

The person on the other side agrees with me

She says she wishes she didn’t have to marry the wealthy man from the next town over

I feel bad for her

I go home

About the Author

Julia lives in Oakland, California with her mom, dad, brother, and her beloved dog, Rocky. She spends her free time hanging out with friends, dancing, cooking, reading, writing, playing DND, and listening to copious amounts of music.