RIGHTFULLY UNDERRATED

EMILY LARKINS, CLASS OF 2025


rightfully underrated


give me a chance

they look and me and him and her 

and they never give me a chance

when i am the only one left i can sense the disappointment

the sigh

they do not want me and i cannot change myself

no matter how badly i feel the need to

please just try to love me


but

how is it fair to beg people to like me when i don't even like myself

i wouldn’t pick me

they are literally all better than me

she is cooler than me

and he is hotter than me


he is red and she is blue and i am

dark plum

no one wants me

i don't blame them


after all

i am the spicy sweet chili doritos

INTERVIEW WITH THE WRITER

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE WORK YOU CREATED?

EMILY: This was a class assignment to write a poem about food. I believe that poems take you on a journey, and in the beginning, you think the poem is about one thing, but in the end, it’s something else. This is similar to the poems we are reading in Ms. Love's poetry class. It is a new style I haven't seen before. Overall, I was disappointed with Doritos because I don't like the purple ones. 


WHAT DID THE CREATIVE PROCESS ENTAIL?

EMILY: I thought of the idea in the shower as all good ideas come, and then I was given a perfect prompt the next day!


WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS WORK COMPARED TO YOUR OTHER PIECES? 

EMILY: This is the first time that I ever wrote a poem that was unserious or kind of a joke, and there’s something kind of simple about it. It was easy to write something that was not super emotional or stressful and just funny. As opposed to others (emotional poems), this was easy and lighthearted.


WHAT IS ONE THING YOU LOVE ABOUT WRITING? 

EMILY: I love how there are unlimited possibilities, and you can do whatever you want. Outside of class, I could pick any topic in the entire world, and it’s kinda fun.

CONTINUE READING

ART WINNER, CLASS OF 2027

ARTIST INTERVIEW