A POET'S CHILDHOOD

THERE are brilliant pebbles on fire within the expansive skies And there are stones as bright upon the ground How both I have walked: my eyes toward the skies my eyes toward my feet How to celebrate the love of my own personality i often sing to myself That I comfort the essence of my Soul for every bit belongs to me as it does with you. How my house as child was not a haven of security but the fragrance of my mother was there before night Teenage years: The key in my pocket, heavy with responsibility to unlock the door to an uncertain reality Through the haze of cigarette smoke I'd navigate, trying not to choke On the bitterness that hung in the air A reminder of a life lived in despair Yet in those moments of solitude I found solace in my own fortitude A resilience born from adversity A strength forged in the flames of uncertainty For though my childhood was marred By the demons that haunted and scarred I learned to find beauty in the cracks To see the light shining through the tracks So as I walk these paths of mine With stars above and stones that shine I carry with me the lessons learned From a childhood where I yearned For love, for safety, for peace of mind Yet in the absence, I learned to find The strength within to stand tall And embrace the journey, flaws and all. :: 02.22.2024 ::