30 ICSA TODAY
Arts: Poetry
A Survivor’s Spring
I never liked Spring
never felt there was a place for me
in her pageantry
I never liked Spring
never felt I fit in
She, with her tight, exquisite buds
perfectly formed, pristine, green
and me, so damaged and bloody,
broken
and spilling out the sides
sloppy and smelly and tainted somehow
I never liked Spring
she taunted me like the mean girls at school
**
I never liked Spring
though I longed for Spring
one I could fit into
a Spring that would have me
see me
celebrate me in her displays
**
I waited and waited for a Spring like that
waited
and waited
“patient as a nun for the second coming”*
compliant,
I followed all the rules
and waited
But Spring takes no prisoners
you fit in
or you are banished
I grew old, waiting
Now, old and tired and sagging and sad
I thought
Spring has surely passed me by
***
This year, in my city, she was late
the lady, Spring
the debutante
ever-perfect
and entitled
She missed her cue!
Arts: Poetry
A Survivor’s Spring
I never liked Spring
never felt there was a place for me
in her pageantry
I never liked Spring
never felt I fit in
She, with her tight, exquisite buds
perfectly formed, pristine, green
and me, so damaged and bloody,
broken
and spilling out the sides
sloppy and smelly and tainted somehow
I never liked Spring
she taunted me like the mean girls at school
**
I never liked Spring
though I longed for Spring
one I could fit into
a Spring that would have me
see me
celebrate me in her displays
**
I waited and waited for a Spring like that
waited
and waited
“patient as a nun for the second coming”*
compliant,
I followed all the rules
and waited
But Spring takes no prisoners
you fit in
or you are banished
I grew old, waiting
Now, old and tired and sagging and sad
I thought
Spring has surely passed me by
***
This year, in my city, she was late
the lady, Spring
the debutante
ever-perfect
and entitled
She missed her cue!
