Dawn & Dusk

I wish I could write poems
That were flowery and soft
That were elegant and graceful
That didn’t have such a cost

Imagine if I could write poems
That would dance to a nice tune
That would twirl in colourful dresses
That into roses, would bloom

But my poems are harsh
Twang like poorly tuned strings
They are abrasive and spiky
So rough on the skin

They always talk about pain
Or darkness or despair
They are steeped in misery
Of how no one cares

But as I think about it
I realise this truth
I wouldn’t change a single word
The rough edges, I wouldn’t smooth

For it is in facing pain
That I learned to be grateful
To appreciate the good things
Even when they are little

These poems are markers
Of how far I have come
They are towering monuments
Of the battles I’ve won

Dark slabs sit next to light
In life’s patchwork pavement
The hard times forming the contrast
In this beautiful arrangement