By Sowmya K.
When I was a child,
the skies could be pink,
the oceans shades of purple,
and my perception of the world
solely dependent
upon the color of my crayons.
Now,
the world depends on money,
those green slips of paper
that we value
more than our lives.
When I was a child,
everything was so simple,
so effortless.
Errors
were forever lost in the past,
unimportant,
and unnecessary,
in this world
filled with adventure.
Now,
One teensy mistake
can destroy
my family,
my dreams
and maybe even
myself.
The world changes
day,
by day,
by day,
by day
but I, too, have changed along with it.
When I was a child,
I was sure
my toes could reach the top of the sky,
if only
my old, creaking swing
could take me there,
all the way above the clouds,
where the melodic chirps of birds
would pleasantly ring
in my ears.
Now,
I know the sky is endless,
and I will never reach the top,
but sometimes,
I do wish wisdom would leave me,
the word 'never'
becoming 'maybe'
so I can be
once again,
free.
When I was a child,
the other end of the world felt within my grasp
all because
the globe of the world
had fit inside my tiny hands.
I was so foolish,
but without a doubt,
determined as well.
Now,
I have learned that the other end of the world
is millions of miles away
across raging storms,
and crashing waves,
but,
it is still there,
and quite frankly,
possible.
When I was a child,
the biggest choices I had to make
were whether to get the black shoes
or the red shoes,
the cookies
or the Oreos,
the crayons
or the markers.
Now,
choices define me,
constantly testing my bravery,
and proving
what I value most.
Choices are on my left,
choices are on my right,
yet the simplest of decisions
show up years later,
regret
tearing me to pieces,
eating me up from within,
leaving me
Lost.
Lost.
Empty.
Broken.
All because
of a choice I made
years
and
years
and years
ago.