Author's Notes

What Will the Year 2021 Bring? This Poem Was Inspired by Reflecting on the Challenges of the Past Year, and Looking forward to the Possible Positive Experiences which Are Expected to Take Place in the Coming Year. But Most Importantly Realizing that I am Not in Control, and that I Must Learn to Depend and Trust More in God, Who is In Control. Does Your Desire For Freedom Exceed Your Capacity to Endure Pain? This Poem Was Inspired by the Events which Took Place in Hong Kong, Where the Chinese Government sought to Reduce, Extinguish or Silence the Citizen's Voice Regarding Seeking Freedom, to Fully Experience the Democratic Process, Or Even Being Heard as Having a Valid Point of View. I Try to Reassure the Citizens of Hong Kong that They Are Not Alone, And that Their Voice is Legitimate, Valid and Deserving to be Heard. I Have Only a Pen and Paper, But I Stand With the Citizens of Hong Kong In Their Desire(s) to Choose Their Own Path Forward, Though it May be Difficult and an Up-hill climb. A Desire Shared By Most Teenagers Here in the West, i.e. North America, Who Wish to Determine their Own Destiny and Future as Well, Despite the Desires and Wishes of their Parents. Dear Dad! This Poem Was Inspired by the Events Which took Place Regarding Mr. George Floyd's Untimely, Public and Premature Death, and the Monetary Verdict Which Gave His Daughter and Estate a Sum of Money as an Appeasement, or Possible Way of Saying Sorry for the Events which Took Place. I Tried to Empathize with His Daughter Who Will Live Without her Father for Many Major Milestones, i.e. High School Graduation, Marriage, etc. Many of Which We Too Often Take For Granted. I Also Wrote it to State that No Sum of Money Could Ever be Enough to Make it OK or to justify the Senseless Killing of An innocent Individual. Does My Life Matter To You? This Poem Was Inspired by Differing Events or Acts Where the Sanctity of Human Life was Called into Question, and Individuals Were Mercilessly Killed, Brutalized Or Hurt in a Drastic Manner. A Way In Which One Would Not Easily Forget, and Only the Passage of Time Can Attempt to Assist in Healing Wounds, The Void Left or Damage Experienced. I Also Want to Acknowledge that the Life which is Being Hurt, Silenced or Killed Does Have Value to their Friends, Family and Community, Even If No-one Else Thinks So. A Life Which Was Given to Him or Her by the Creator Our Heavenly Father.