In my last semester at Kent State University, I was lucky enough to be part of a program called Teaching Poetry in the Schools, in which I taught poetry to seventh and 11th graders every week. Together, we embarked on a journey, and though I was the teaching artist, I learned some of the greatest lessons from them.

Tablespoons of Wisdom

It’s about the salt.
Forgotten grains seeped into the papercut
when you laid your hand upon the table,
the sting you feel until the millisecond passes.
It’s opening a door and walking blindfolded,
but leaving a stick in the frame just in case.
An abundance of storms and strings and pointe shoes,
a lonely polar bear and the boy who fooled Judge Fudge.
Every spirit-dipped word and every ounce of inspiration.
It’s finding beauty in the smallest things
and remembering it’s okay to cry.
Writing a poem to say goodbye
and trusting the blank page that comes next
is a testament to growth and a promise of excitement.
We all start as little fish, and we all look for bluer waters.
Reaching the end of a chapter is terrifying
and panic-inducing but we all get through it.
Remember you have a survival score of 100%
despite every hurdle you’ve faced.
And you will continue to face them,
and you will continue to overcome.
No one ever said to take life with a grain of sugar.
It’s all about the salt.

April 26, 2016