by Anna Pierce (8th)
Why
In the cocoon of childhood,
where laughter danced on sunlit beams,
we spun dreams like threads,
fragile yet fervent—a tapestry,
unraveled with betrayal’s breath,
blind to shadows creeping closer
.
Adulthood hums a different tune,
the notes muted under the weight of worry—
anxiety clinging like fog in the morning.
Classes taught us formulas and facts,
but never how to weather storms of fear,
or fight against the tides of bullying.
We cry for the innocence left behind,
as darkness seeps through cracks in our hearts;
compassion wears thin in a world of conflict,
where trust is a ledger in heavy debt.
Still we rise from ashes of abandonment,
seeking echoes from who we once were—
finding solace in being ourselves—
in moments fragile yet fierce, screaming:
“I am here! I am alive!”
Though hopelessness lingers at the edges,
there's freedom found in humanity's embrace—
the soft glow of connection guiding us home.