war zone: the story of a former homeschool student

I.

Fall came,

tore the summer of my innocence away-

a flow of energy-

 a rush of darkness-

bells ringing,

halls buzzing.

footsteps,

voices.

pushing,

shoving,

laughter.

The unknown-

the fear

held me back

distracted me.

their laughing faces,

their pointing fingers

“because she was home-schooled-”

“freak show girl”

And so I sit in class

and look outside, longing,

and draw that one barren tree.

II.

Winter came;

cold seeped into the autumn of my fear.

energy dies,

relinquishing the battle,

settling for less.

No longer the unknown;

no longer the feared-

now just the pain,

now just the cold,

now just the darkness.

Gone all day;

never seeing the light of the sun.

gray

snow

cold.

still they laugh,

still the point,

still they slowly kill me-

“because she was home-schooled-”

“that’s why she’s smart”

And so I still sit in class,

and look outside, longing,

and draw that one barren tree

III.

Spring came;

washing away the winter of my despair

something stirs within me.

I lift up my head:

new sights

new smells

 new hopes.

 healing-

Each new day.

when did spring come?

i cannot say

i do not understand

the lord moves in mysterious ways

his wonders to perform

still they laugh,

still they point-

“because she was home-schooled-”

“that’s why she ignores us”

And I sit in class

and look outside, laughing,

and draw that one tree that blossomed.