Astrogation’s underrated. Every kid and his joystick
Pictures navigating spaceships, despite the limits of
Morning cartoons, pulp stories, poorly wrought films.
Adolescents, even so, gather to bloviate, to puff out
Undersized chests, measure private bits, rooster on
Nonexistent superiority. Their acts get overlooked.
See, if boasting to Geometry II classmates, youths,
Gobsmacked plus dream-hazed, care whether or
Not peers’ bravura trumps their manifest chutzpa.
Lacking eidetic memory, boys balance with stagger,
All manner of infelicity, use arrogant word bombs
Build themselves as heroes, villains, extraordinary.
Girls, in turn, shake heads, moue lips, pay no heed to
Jejune opinions expressed by child-men seeking hot
Dates, locker room brags, better lunchroom service.
Crushing on high school classmates helps no young
Woman enter top schools, win athletic competitions,
Elsewise make ready for life’s pages and chapters.
Looking back, no female’s regretted disregarding
Buffoons spitting paper balls, passing around porn,
Defacing hallways, strutting made-up advantage.
