Root
By Theresa Shadrix
August 31, 2022
When I see you, there is a fiery boldness
A flash of love, covered in royalty
But unseen
Deep, unalienable
Hiding from the world and from the pain
When I see you, there is a vulnerability
An instant quest for validation
But you can't trust anything
So you cling to hope
And let go of possibility
Cause the world ignores you
And that is the root of your pain.
(I wrote this poem in 2022 after listening to two of my students talk about how the world ignores young people. It hurt my heart.)