Hanging Fire Coming of Age Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #4

I should have been on Math Team
my marks were better than his
why do I have to be
the one
wearing braces
I have nothing to wear tomorrow (26-31)

And, we're back to typical teenager concerns: what to wear, the problems of braces, even some possible middle-school sexism in not being picked for the Math team. Sure, these problems can seem huge to a teenager, but these issues aren't exactly insurmountable.

Quote #5

will I live long enough
to grow up
and momma's in the bedroom
with the door closed. (32-35)

Once again, our speaker returns to thoughts of death, and once again, her mom isn't there for her. Our speaker is isolated from her mom at a time when she really, really needs her. The speaker's adolescence is a lonely time, and—we're not gonna lie—when the poem ends, we're seriously worried about her.