Growth and Change- Poem by Yasmeen Abunasrah

I continue to ponder on who I used to be,

With some changes, we all would agree.

Hoping to learn to love myself,

I reach within my mental bookshelf,

Thinking there was an immediate answer.

Scrolling through memories, reminded of when I used to be a dancer,

I realized, it wasn’t only some changes, I was different.

I thought it was quite magnificent.

Everyone had left, no one had stayed.

Throughout my life, I had always felt betrayed.

Sitting alone in the darkness, I looked in the mirror,

If I don't love myself, how could I love much bigger?

Years passed, and I had finally figured out the puzzle,

I stopped trying to find a home within others, it always led to a puddle.

I had to reach for one only within my mind,

It took time, but I had finally found one specifically designed.

Continuously repeating a daily reminder,

She has a wall built up, with a universe behind her,

Change, change, change, it repeated,

I felt like I wasn’t accepted as who I was, I felt defeated.

I had decided to ultimately choose myself, over others,

Do what makes you happy, and you’ll find a ray of colors.