As the harsh winds blow,
Against my cold, forlorn face,
My tears of sorrow fall to the ground.
The petals of my flower of love,
Wilting at disappointment.
The stresses build, forming a rigid cliff,
Off which I plunge,
Towards the raging seas below.
I am swallowed in the deep waves,
Blinded by the darkness,
And all signs of light and hope,
Are carried off with my tears,
To linger above me,
Until the moment that my breath of life ceases to exist.

Written in 1995

In honor of April being National Poetry Month, I committed to posting a poem a day. This is my first real poem. Pardon the oxymoron — it’s not terribly good, but I was in 7th grade. It was a confusing time with lots of conflict. I had a journal I would write down my thoughts in during classes when I was upset. Journaling became therapy, and eventually, there were two journals – one for prayers and thoughts, and another for lines of poetry. Having deep emotions isn’t a death sentence – sometimes, it means you’re created to connect with others who feel as deeply as you do!