What is it about birthdays that has me more nostalgic the older I get? Tomorrow is my 46th birthday, so instead of sharing reflections and musing over what I’ve learned over the last year, I decided to take a walk down memory lane and share a couple of my favorite poems that I wrote as a teenager, which are in my latest book, Black Girl Dreaming: Poems About Love, Life and Loss.
LESSONS IN LIFE
I opened my eyes
A long time ago
And viewed the things
You didn’t show.
The truth wasn’t pretty.
It bruised my pride,
But at least it taught me
To never close my eyes.
I opened my ears
Hoping to hear
Words of love
Whispered so dear.
The words never came.
I hurt inside,
But at least it taught me
To never close my eyes.
I opened my heart
And gave you the chance
To come inside
To seek romance,
But you never came,
My heart grew cold.
You left me empty,
Partly whole
You left me searching
For a place to hide,
But at least it taught me
To never close my eyes.
I opened my eyes,
But they didn’t see
All the hurt and confusion
You caused me.
I stood here waiting
Never wanting good-byes
And you left me standing
With my arms opened wide,
But at least loving you taught me.
I
I may never
Know again what it’s like
To be held
Within the bonds of your embrace
I may never
See again the smile in your eyes
When you look
Upon my face.
I may never
Talk to you again
As two friends
Turned lovers should be able to talk
Or feel
The chills of excitement
Only a lover
Turned friend’s voice could ignite in me.
I may never
Feel again your lips caress mine
With the tenderness
Only someone who cares
Can bestow
Upon you.
I may never
Feel again the security
Of your hand
Enclosing mine.
As we discuss everything
Or nothing.
And the thought
That those things
Could be beyond
My realm of existence
Scares me.
I know God
In His infinite wisdom
Had a purpose
In allowing our lives to intertwine.
I know life
In its divine plan
Holds the answers
I’m seeking to find.
I know love
In its quest for truth
May present us
With divergent paths
That find us
Not sharing a lifetime.
I know feelings
Are subject to change,
Regardless
Of who they hurt along the way.
I know forever
Seems to be getting
Shorter and shorter
Every single day.
I know your heart
Has a lot to offer someone tomorrow.
I often wonder
Why not today?
In spite of
All I know,
I have to
Wonder why my head and heart
Still leave me
Yearning for the dreams
You made reality
Yesterday.
A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
I may not think of you
Every minute of the day,
I may fail to say the things
I would like to say.
The times we’ve shared together
May become faded
Like pictures on a page,
But that won’t lessen the magic
Of the times we shared.
Our lives may find us
On divergent paths
With separate lives
Filled with happiness.
We may find love
Beyond our wildest dreams,
But that won’t lessen the magic
Of the times we shared.
You may never know
How much I care,
Because I feel it best
That you’re unaware.
Your life is complicated enough
Without me there
(No matter how much I want to be)
So I’ll say good-bye
And set you free,
But that won’t lessen the magic
Of the times we shared.
You’ll never know the depth
Of the faith I have in you,
That things will work out
And you’ll make it through.
I’ll be with you,
For a little while,
Until I find my own world
Filled with private smiles.
I have no hard feelings
And wish you happiness,
Love, laughter and much success.
Just know that I have no regrets
Because nothing or no one
Can lessen the magic
Of the times we shared.
Want to read more? Use my affiliate link to purchase your copy of Black Girl Dreaming: Poems About Love, Life and Loss.
