COMES THE DAWN

Sometime in high school, I stumbled across this anonymous poem. I might be mis-remembering, but I think I found it in a book of poetry my mom kept when she was younger. It was hand written when I first saw it. In college, it showed up again - at a crucial time. I've been missing it (without really knowing that I was missing it) for about 5 years now... and recently a high school friend posted it on her facebook page.

Maybe you need it now... maybe I do.

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 mean security,

You begin to understand that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises.

And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head held high and your eyes open,
With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child.

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 midflight.

After a while you learn that even sunshine burns
If you get too much.

So you plant your own garden
And decorate our own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone else
To bring you flowers.

And you learn that you can really endure,
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth

And you learn and learn ...
With every goodbye you learn.