Forthright
- The Seasons Of Grief: Chapter II - Poem VIII -
The sky wept the day I crossed that stage,
Raindrops smearing tears on my tired face
Twelve years in the making, and all I got was a back-stained knife,
“This doesn’t mean much, it’s just life”
The small box with a maroon watch, on my birthday,
A gift that prophesied how my dreams would tick away,
And though I smiled, it felt rehearsed,
As if this day was already cursed
The truck waited, engine low and grumbling too near,
The weight of its hum wasn’t louder than my fear
I packed up my life with a hurried hand,
I left my dog in the ground, buried in the land
On the drive, clouds hung heavy, gray, and tight,
No one asked how I felt—no one thought to, on the last night
Forthright, I’m staring at a new town’s embrace,
Forthright, I was torn from my old life’s grace,
Cross-legged in the driver’s seat, with a dim glow,
Glass fogged with tears I didn’t let show
Others threw Great Gatsby-like parties for the world to see,
The only celebration I had was in my nights, a dream
This new place was just built, I walked on its foundation,
Years from now, I’ll still have trouble coming to the realization
I swear, you could hear my breath catch,
Right when I realized, there’s no going back
Did you ever hear of the boy who grew up quite hollow?
Graduation meant freedom, not the kind he could follow
He’s still eighteen, in his memories, stuck in his navy blue room,
Where the walls once promised escape, but for now, they just loom
Did you hear of the boy who always lives in resentment?
He left behind more than a house— it was contentment
He’s still eighteen, chained to what naivety he knew,
Driving forward, but dragging the past too
Forthright, he’s just not sure he can move on,
Yet dust still gathers on the life he’s withdrawn,
The house behind him fades from view,
His heart never left, it’ll stay there too
He causes no harm, he minds his own fight,
If leaving is freedom, why does it feel contrite?
And it’s been so short, but already feels so wrong,
If they ever thought twice, knowing now, would I stay where I belonged?
