Ode to the Codes (2011)

10306 you grew me up,
taught me how to toast,
smoke, rave,
drive and flip cups.

10304 you taught me solidarity,
how to be alone and strong,
be myself—no one else,
and then move the hell on.

10013 gave a glimpse of how things might be,
to a girl living in the big city,
testing boundaries often but not pressing hard enough,
losing sight of everything, blindness, and home again.

10306 a brief re-visit,
I relish all additional damage you did.
Some say one should never go back,
but my hometown zip always reeled in my slack.

10314 spawned a five-year party,
conflagration of company just like it used to be,
a smart move: back to school,
finally a real job!

10314 again was another first,
a house became a home,
first real one in years,
but no more living alone.

07044 well you know,
I am never sure where that story will go.
I've managed to try and for years made it stick,
But not without gallons and gallons of ick.

10301 returning once more,
A year ran rapidly by triple locking my door,
On a hill just up the street,
Will I ever have a permanent code in which to rest my weary feet?

With brief batches of 718, 917 and 646,
One can almost be fooled that a 973 might stick.
The one thing I've learned from all these first few,
Is to never let a zip code-ever define you.