Torn Tissue
I used to ride in the backseat to practice.
There was hardly a day that I missed
Our old minivan with the comfy seats
Looking out the window
I’d tie laces around my cleats,
knowing hard work would get me there.
That school of my dreams
There
Where I’d meet my new team
There
Where my family would be proud
and without the burden of a financial cloud.
While I was racing to State
my grades were in eighth place.
A thought of my parents and the guilt would creep
I knew my lessons weren’t cheap
“It’ll be okay, they’ll be repaid
A school will come and pay my way.”
That’s the reason I cried that day.
No crutch could support my sudden spiral
Even Coach said
"Your best bet
is to focus on finals"
A gear shift with no breaks would understate
The fear of feeling unprepared
And thrust into the driver's seat of my “adult” life.
I took a wrong turn and landed funny
Lord, please help us find the money
I found the cheapest road
forced me to study
Sometimes I recount that day and still remember the pain
but now there’s something else.
A feeling unknown in 2015
It’s almost like it was meant to be
That noise from my knee
The thought makes me queasy
But I think it might be my origin story
I learned to make class a priority,
And community schools don’t have sororities
But more importantly
I learned that there’s more to me.
I found pride in peer reviews instead of P.R.s
And who would have guessed I like making flash cards
My journey is not over but I'm happily in charge.
I’ve turned it around, taken a bow
And I’m grateful for that day I fell down.
My wounds from surgery were steps to University
And I’m excited to say you haven’t heard the last from me.
My plans are better, my passion is stronger
And to my list of accomplishments
you can add Honors.
I never thought that horrible day
would have ever turned out quite this way.