Comes the Dawn

Poems have been an integral part of my life since I was a teen. My first love constantly wrote me the sweetest words, and I in turn, was drawn to penning my own. I was even lucky enough to study under famed poet Nikki Giovanni during my undergrad. I find that in difficult times I turn to poems as a way to deal with my emotions. This one in particular has been helpful many a time...

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul
And you learn that love doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises.

And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open,
With the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child.
And you learn to build all your roads on today,
Because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain.
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

After a while you learn that even sunshine
Burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate
Your own soul, instead of waiting
For someone to bring you flowers

And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really are strong,
And you really do have worth
And you learn and learn and learn.
With every goodbye you learn.

-Veronica Shoffstall