Sibling Puberty

puberty arrived for me as a tent pole
in my shorts
when a bosom slipped out of my seventh grade
math teacher’s blouse

for my sister it arrived as a wet spot
in the sand beneath her
while spinning a top
that took forever her
playtime with us boys
making paper planes
jumping rope
and knee-high skirts

as mom’s understudy
grooming to take over the kitchen
she gave up a lot

we gave up more
we never see her smile