Poetry

Sanctuary Yet Sacrifice

This poem discusses the paradox of skating. While physically and mentally challenging, the sport will forever be a vital part of my life.

Feet frigid and fingers frail

head and heart hammering  

eyes watering in the wind

bruised body on the brink of blowout.  

As my blades slice through the slippery surface

my coach’s disappointed face fills my vision

and the taste of defeat fills my mouth.

Everyday I ask why I do this

why I put myself through the struggle

why I devote my life to the sport.

Yet everyday I’m back

doing it all over again.

Painful to the body yet vital to the soul

the lure of the ice never leaves.  

Because the reward of success is like no other;

years of pain are nothing compared

to one day of victory.


Fragile Souls

A found poem is created by flipping through a book and selecting random lines to create a cohesive poem. Here is my found poem based on the book, The River Reader by Joseph F. Trimmer.

Beneath the fat lies

deeper still

a series of moral puzzles

endless worrying about the rules

high anxiety of the competition

manipulation and control.

No matter how much we twist and turn

no system will protect us.

Do you believe you must always lie?

There is no easy answer to this question.

But we are such fragile souls

so we must be very careful.

Oh, there is risk everywhere

each decision, large or small

may be crucial to

this style of living.


Teen Angst

While listening to the song “In My Blood” by Shawn Mendes, I was inspired to express my low spirits in a poem, incorporating the lyrics (in italics).

All the feelings built up inside
Hard to express, yet hard to hide.
Laying on the bathroom floor, feeling nothing
Overwhelmed and insecure, the tears start gushing.
As waves of sadness come crashing down
You get lost in a sea of emotions and drown.
No medicine, no cure
Nothing to relieve the pain you endure.
No one can see the angst consuming your heart
Alone is where you fall apart.

The Cat and the Mouse

A dark shadow lurks behind the bushes
Illuminated by a hint of moonlight.
He hides with such skill and stealth
So quiet you could hear a pin drop.
With alert ears and watchful eyes
He waits forever his dinner to arrive.
The silence is soon broken with a snap of a twig
A mouth-watering aroma indicates that prey is near.
With a flick of his ear and a twitch of his nose
His target is located and action begins.
One paw in front of the other
He readies himself for the pounce.
He propels himself into the air
Strong muscles rippling as he leaps forward.
Landing so softly and startling his prey
He sinks his teeth into the delicious body.
"At last," he purrs
"It is time to eat."