Poetry SAVED my Life
Writing poetry is the same as wielding a magic wand.
I was never good with words when I was in elementary, let alone during my first year in high school. I spoke English a lot but it was so broken that anyone could barely understand me. All I had going for me was that I was good at Mathematics, and that was about it. I had a passion for writing since I was a campus journalist since 6th grade but among my colleagues, I barely had any specialty. I was ping-ponging around different categories with seemingly no chances for success. I kept asking myself, what was left for me?
A core memory from 7th grade was when I reported in front of the class with one of my close friends. The subject was Science but I forgot the specific topic we were reporting. The reason this was a core memory is because both me and my friend failed miserably while reporting. We weren’t able to introduce the topic properly, we stuttered a lot, we froze at certain points, and the embarrassment was so massive that it made us both shiver. And then, like a fisherman karate chopping a squid for the second time to make sure it’s dead, our teacher told us to sit down as she took over the discussion. I had my head bowed down the entire time.
Where does poetry come into all of this? Well, it’s a long story tied to a specific person but to generalize, I was beaten down by life over and over and all the wounds stayed inside. It was like an investment but for pain and suffering without any way of selling those stocks. Not until poetry came into my life. Introduced by one of my former best friends, poetry was the light bulb to a dim-lit room; poetry was the perfect outlet for a very specific type of power cord; poetry was the value of a missing variable in a math equation. Poetry became a weapon that I wielded to battle the strongest demons inside the labyrinth of my mind.
Don’t be afraid, as long as you’re not wrong
When you’re a mess, stay calm, you can be redrawn
When confused, listen to your favorite song
Don’t be afraid tonight, your worries’ll be gone
It’ll be alright, every night gives way to dawn
(an excerpt from a poem I wrote entitled “Every night gives way to dawn”
What poetry specifically gave to me was a way to handle the pent-up emotions I had inside me from all the years of my existence. It was like being granted the “PokeFlute” to wake up Snorlax and continue with my journey on Pokemon FireRed. Through poetry, I managed to carve words that would have their personal shape, representing all the things swirling inside me. I was sad. Poetry. I was happy. Poetry. I was in love? Poetry. Did I hate somebody? Poetry. I’m telling you, I felt like I was casting spells the way I was writing my poems.
I owe it to poetry that my mind is as stable as it is now. But this is not to say that I’m in perfect condition, that I’m 100% alright with my life right now. Obstacles will keep coming that not even poetry will be able to solve. However, that doesn’t take away from the importance of poetry in my life. Without it, I never would’ve mustered the courage to pursue other things in life. Here’s a sample poem that I wrote all about being more appreciative of what you have:
Special
Striving to be special
Striving to be someone
Rejecting to be normal
Inquiring from where others have been
Blindly reaching for something
Forgetting to look from within
It’s tough to be overtaken
Though it’s not a race
Different times for others to awaken
Gifted traits aren’t special
Character is what defines
In a world driven by desires
Your life’s in your hands
Choose who you are
But don’t forget your name
Notice your circle’s presence
The answer that you seek
Is within their circumference
I wrote this at a time when I felt like I was being more and more distant from my friends. Then, I came across a video that talked about being satisfied with what you have is more important than obsessing over what you want to eventually have. I decided to turn it into a poem despite mixed feelings towards the sentiment. And that is another beauty of poetry. I can write even the opposite of whatever my current emotion is. I am able to comfort myself through poetry by opening myself to another point of view.
In conclusion, anyone who loves poetry as much as I do, continue your passion, people! Nothing hurts me more than seeing people lose their burning desire to express their personal butterflies. Don’t let this be the end of the road for you, poets, imagine, experience, feel, and create. Wave your magic wands and enchant that blank piece of paper with your sparkling words.
