Elaine Truong ‘22 I Hate The Number 5

PRISMS

I Hate The Number 5

I hate the number 5. It has a weird shape. Two lines and a curve Like an S that fell on its head. It irks me every time I write it in lead.

I hate the number 5. Aside from being what I wished was my size, It reminds me of Asia, claiming Having a smaller waist is a prize. Beauty standards seem built on these lies.

I hate the number 5. Get all 5s on the AP exams, Earn a 5.0 GPA Be in the top 5% of your class. Walk into the breezeway’s room and write an essay Knowing it won’t be good enough, Knowing I won’t be good enough.

Make your family of 5 proud Even when you want to cry aloud, Don’t make a sound. Don’t cry. . . Don’t cry . . . Don’t falter, or break like glass. I feel like I’m wearing a mask.

I hate the number 5, I associate it with goodbyes. In the 5th month, we’ll be gone, off on our separate ways

I dread the day I walk the stage on the last Saturday of May.

Can we stay? Until that day of May, Unit I hear Pomp and Circumstance play, Until I’ve said all I’ve needed to say. . .

Although I hate the number 5, Packed with its lies, Stupid rhymes, Reminder of the timesI look forward to each day with the glistening sunrise.

Instead of looking at 5 as a taker Of time, Satisfaction, And life, I realizedI needed to take a breath, To do all I can before I’ve left, To take 5.

- Elaine Truong ‘22

PRISMS