The Halloween I Didn't Kill My Sister

The year my baby sister was born,
I was Snow White for Halloween
and was grounded for screaming
because Grandpa didn’t understand that four houses
was not a substantial candy income.

I lost my first tooth
at preschool during snack time
and had to be sent home
because I thought I was dying.

I tried to mail the baby
so that I could sleep at night
and Dad spanked me
in front of my cousins.

I sat in the corner of the family room
talking to myself about how much I want to have my own room
and not share with the baby,
staring at the adult’s heads
and silently begging them to turn around and notice

That I had brushed my doll’s head bare.