After A While
After A While
by Veronica A. Shoffstall
After a while you learn
the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn
that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t always mean security.
And you begin to learn
that kisses aren’t contracts
and presents aren’t promises
and you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of woman, not the grief of a child
and you learn
to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow’s ground is
too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down
in mid-flight.
After a while you learn
that even sunshine burns
if you get too much
so you plant your own garden
and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone
to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
you really are strong
you really do have worth
and you learn
and you learn
with every goodbye, you learn…
Beautiful. I’ve read this before but it resonates more now. The timing is perfect as I’ve also just been through a breakup and I think I’m doing a decent job taking it the way this poem describes.
kisses aren’t contracts
and presents aren’t promises
That’s a pretty big thing to learn.
That was very inspirational and insightful, thank you.
That was awesome. I second the “kisses aren’t contracts”.
Sometimes poems can say it so much better than prose.
I’ve read this before, is refreshingly beautiful each time around.
This is the first time I’ve read it and I just love it.