York Mills Collegiate Institute Writing Contest Winner

Congratulations Julia Tolciu for your successful entry York Mills Collegiate Institute's Creative Writing Contest! Read her winning poem here:

did i tell you about that movie i used to love

By Julia Tolciu

Did you know I used to love this movie?

Now I can’t get over how corny it is

I used to spend so long drawing with chalk on the sidewalk

The last time I used chalk was to write an equation on the board

And I didn’t like the way it got my hands dusty

I would splash in every puddle along the road

Now I go out of my way to avoid them so I don’t ruin my shoes

The shoes aren’t anything special anyway

I wear plain colours because it’s simpler that way

Glittery dresses stuffed into the back of a closet

Plastic tiara lost to time

Can you imagine me looking like that?

I don’t pick flowers because they’re covered in bugs

But I used to roll down hills spotted with dandelions

And use them to wish

Back when I made wishes for everything

All the way back when I ran up the stairs after turning off the lights

Which I definitely don’t anymore

Because there are things that scare me much more than the dark

Or the Bermuda triangle, or quicksand

Things like the economy, and the state of the world

And whether I really know who I am

What if I told you that once I believed in magic

And today I don’t know if I believe the news

My ceiling is no longer covered in those plastic glow-in-the-dark stars

The world has a way of shattering rose-coloured glasses

I used to ride scooters, ride bikes with ribbons on the handlebars

Now I only get around in my car, and even then

I no longer look out the window and watch the raindrops race

I just scroll on my phone like you and watch others race

For things like money and fame

And how long it’s been since I sat criss-cross applesauce on a carpet

Since I jumped on a trampoline

Or asked someone to read me a story

Does your heart long too

For grocery store gummies

And indoor recess games

And parachute day in gym class?

I would rather stay inside then go out to the playground

Even though the climbing wall doesn’t look so tall anymore

Not to the person I’ve grown into

And when I rewatched that movie

The one I used to love

I checked my phone over and over

Does it terrify you too?

Because I hold those days so close

That version of me was oh so excited to grow up

And grow up I did

So tell me

What if it was perfect back then?