Dear twenty-seventeen
Dear twenty-seventeen
there's a lot of things you showed me
like how time can move so slowly
then get faster than you'd like
there's a lot of things that happened
like my highschool days at home
at the beginning of the year
when my plans were still unclear
from the early-morning Starbucks
and art lessons downtown
just babysitting five rowdy kids
and studying on my own
it seems so long ago
like becoming a nanny
leaving Brookston, Indiana
and my family and my friends
and the combines and the cornfields
and a new chapter began
changing size three diapers
humming Evelyn the Beatles
and smiling into her eyes
strolling Cincinnati
with a blue-eyed baby and a dog
drinking keurig coffee
learning life in a big city
was a rhythm I could love
like going to see Europe
for a couple weeks in August
clutching my glossy passport
and the tickets in my hand
getting drenched in Copenhagen
and the bright red ponchos given
on the boatride through the city
how I longed to stay for months
dancing on the beach in Italy
trying out new words in German
laughing, joking with my cousins
when I couldn't understand them
eating pretzels with Nutella
getting used to mineral water
climbing up a mountain path
and the tallest church steeple
shopping with my sister
gosh that makes me miss her
seeing castles, cities, rivers, alps
someday we're going back
like moving in to college
everything was shockingly new
and scary and I felt alone
but I wasn't, and I realized
getting packages from home
going to church, parties, class,
learning that I have a voice
and friends that have my back
like realizing how much there is
each day to just soak in
no matter where or when or how
just knowing that I'm here right now
with love and food and shelter
and a year brimming full of good memories
and there's always more coming
and for that I will keep going,
seeking, listening, learning, loving
what a riot this year has been
and now as 'eighteen's settling in
I'll miss you but I'm moving on
dear twenty-seventeen.