They tell me I’m young

And sometimes it’s comforting

Other times,

It makes me tremble

 

I am young

Unscathed, unhindered

A fierce ball of fire

Racing towards the walls of life

I’ll crash through a few and then slow, they assume

I’ll learn to find the gaps

I’ll navigate the maze

And when I’m old,

I’ll sit in my corner

Blowing dandelions to the wind

 

I am young, they say

Be careless, be stupid

Chase the sun

Dance in its shadow

Kiss in its absence

Do it for us, the old and the broken

Set the world on fire

But also, save it

Save yourself

 

Why do you work

Like you’re undeserving of rest?

Why do you walk

Like you’re undeserving of love?

Why do you write

Like an apology for existing?

Why do you cry

Like the pain within is permanent?

It’s not, they say

You’re too young for that

 

Stop thinking

You’re breaking your own heart

Silently

Stop giving yourself away

Filling selfish holes

With selfless acts

Stop falling

For the undeserving

Blaming yourself for their mistakes

 

Stop pulling the wildflowers from your soul

Cleaning darkness from the roots

Kissing fragile petals

Willing them to be beautiful

Enough

You are too young for that