Often times I'm moved to share a weekly reading with my students. I thought this one might particularly serve the younger generation. After reading it, and reflecting on some things that happened to her this past week, she responded with a poem. I asked her and she said she'd be honored if I shared it with you:
growing up » october 2, 2020
a curious doggy drifts across the vast blue
chasing an old woman with an umbrella?
or maybe it was a witch pursuing a clue.
it’s hard to tell what the white puffs spell,
but we giggle anyway and think they’re true
because the clouds are our own seashells.
until we grow up, grow out of imagination
and the heavens fade to weather stations.
the crisp navy of fresh denim carries a thrill
of feeling the holes close and a chapter begin.
we take cute snaps and flaunt our bills,
proud to wear fashion’s “new big thing.â€
but soon we miss that comfortable drill
of stretchy fabric that seems to mold our skin.
so when the cerulean fades into familiar gray,
we almost welcome it — until next pay day.
life reminds me of clouds and jeans.
at first, we make the most of every dream,
but most everyone learns to grow up and out
until we’re just rain and grayscale printouts.
the million dollar question of the people nether:
why can’t happiness last forever?
it’s because we’re taught to value destruction,
success has no meaning without obstructions.
the problem with growing and trying and fading
is that we build a routine that’s suffocating.
instead of embracing fun, we call it “wasting time,â€
just to join the rat race for nickels and dimes.
we try to stand out for the sake of being special
but we give up that passion that’s so essential.
we learn from the past and live for tomorrow,
but today often gets lost in a bundle of sorrow.
i want to be different, i don’t want to grow up —
i just want to grow without all the buildup
into a caring person who’s happy and kind
that searches for knowledge to satiate her mind.
i’ll know the weather, but still look at the clouds
for i believe there’s wonder in those fluffy shrouds.
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