What You’ve Taught Me
Poem
The world seems quiet around me
Like I disappointed it, disowned it
Like it’s surprised that I would doubt it
As if it feels rejected, betrayed
Withdrawn
And that it thinks
I’m not as loyal as it thought I was
I’m sorry, I’m just wondering
Trying to guess, trying to imagine
What other worlds are there
What other people I could be
What other lives I could live
What other lives I could meet
I don’t mean to question you
I love you, I love everything you
Allowed me to be and feel
You’re what I dreamed of
And I don’t want to let go
But I know that
Change is something inevitable
And I want it done right
I want it to be smooth
I don’t want it to be painful
It’s because you taught me so much
So much to look out for
So much to pay attention to
So much to be grateful for
So many pieces of the whole
I can see how miraculous it is to be happy
I can see how easy to miss one piece
And watch the whole fall
So I want to be careful
I want to learn from you
So when that change happens
I’m ready
Because you, world
Taught me how to be whole
more by ANNA ELISE
photograph by Danka & Peter
