Dear Arnold Grace

Dear,

Arnold Grace,

I thought you’d like to know, I got your letter

I know its been a while but I

Still hadn’t answered

And I’m

terribly sorry to inform you but...

Dear Arnold Grace we grow up to be a bad bad person

We don’t make people smile or do much anything worthwhile

We do somethings that are unforgivable

And we get in trouble, we run away and make our mother cry.

I understand that thats not what you expected

We were never fond of pirates and of outlaws

In your letter you said you wanted to be cartographer

I’m sorry that that didn’t work out for you.

You really were good for your age.

Dear Arnold Grace (in the third grade)

I ruined our life and its unacceptable.

Maybe if I’d listened to you more, and followed the plans you had in store us we would’ve turned out somewhat presentable.

We were just a little kid heartfelt and innocent

Playing grownup though it was incomprehensible.

How could you turn into me?
Did I kill you in my sleep?

When dreaming of something undetectable?

Dear Arnold Grace you grow up to be a bad bad person.

And I am entirely to blame for that

Yes, we did fall in love,

As short as it was,

She hated us more than I miss you

She stabbed us in the back- not metaphorically

and

As alarming as it was, at the time, 

if it had been you

and she’d been in the third grade

I can’t but think that you would’ve loved her too.

Dear Arnold Grace. We are a bad person.

We never could make them smile

We never did make the honor roll and we never really tried.

And I think I’d like to be a cartographer

Maybe I’ll practice when they catch me next time.

After all, even pirates need their treasure maps

.

Dear Arnold Grace, in the third grade

I have some friends id like to introduce to you

Dear Arnold Grace in the third grade

And maybe you'll help them be better people too

Dear Arnold Grace, in the third grade,

I hope this letter finds you well.

...

...

Sincerely,

"future me."