After a while you learn
the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn
that love doesn't mean leaning
and company doesn't always 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 ahead
with the grace of woman, not the grief of a child
and you learn
to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is
too uncertain for plans
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
you really are strong
you really do have worth
and you learn
and you learn
with every goodbye, you learn...
© 1971 Veronica A. Shoffstall
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Comments (5)
eternalwytch1
This piece makes mwe want to gather the person up and protect them. Beautiful work.
TerraDreamer
Very well written. Fear and triumph in so few words.
Shadowmonkey
And then relief comes and the fear is undone Im safe, you cant touch me here, my favourite line of this piece. An excellent feeling of desperation and fear that switches to relief through a realisation, A great poem ;0). Hope you had a good Christmas.
TallPockets
Just a wonderfully written work. V
cagewench
Stand-out line: "And I realize there is nothing left to fear Im safe, you cant touch me here"... wow!