The life of growing and the art of blooming

My poems have raised me

held my hand when I fell

they not only kissed my scraped knees

but kissed my head as it disappeared into darkness

kissed my heart as it folded itself away.

I was lucky enough that teachers introduced me to this love of mine

let me disappear in poems of sunflowers

written in the shape of gardens.

As time has gone on I have moved on

poems about hands, love, gardens have blossomed from my fingertips.

And it is my teachers that have watered me

helped me to grow.

It is because of them I have found that

trying to live without poetry is like trying to live without lungs

I am not alive.

And I have found that

trying to thank teachers for all they have done

Is like trying to thank the air for oxygen

all I do is take.

It is through poetry I breathe

It is through teachers I have grown

it is with education I will bloom.