PAST
We learned.
She taught me.
Taught me the secrets of the past.
Honest Abe.
Washington’s wig.
Civil War.
We looked. And found the things that nobody else could.
Alone I am smart.
Together we are brilliant.
We packed our heads with unheard-of knowledge.
Until it was time to go.
She said we would see each other soon.
But that is my biggest worry.
I don’t want to look into her past if she is not there to do it with me.
—from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology
__________
Why do you like to write poetry?
Maximilian Tellini: “I like poetry because it gives me a chance to express myself and the world in very beautiful, artistic way. It lets me release my feelings about things, and it helps me calm down and meditate when there is chaos in my life. And of course, I like it because it sounds amazing and soothing to the human ear.”