I knew the world
The world that I knew
Kept me spinning
On its axis
Still my feet firmly planted
Scented flowers, whirled down
Free, fresh off the tree
They fell on the lawn
Did they know, the cycle of renewals
Further they flew, blown away by the wind
Each spinning like a pinwheel
The paper flowers
Planted on the railings
Colours abloom

Not all victories wear medals of gold,
Some hide in moments,
overlooked and untold.
They were found in a deep sigh,
In a smile and through tears,
when days were long,
when you wished for hope
and a will to be strong.

With each sunrise met
when rest felt incomplete,
and with each foul day weathered,
with heavy feet.
These too are triumphs,
written into each trial,
between survival and each mile.

When you carried on when it felt too much,
found peace in chaos, with a patient touch.
Building castles from the ruins of your plans,
and held faith like water
cupped in trembling hands.

Count the small victories, every single one,
each battle fought and silently won.
For perseverance begins with each try,
and strength lives within
the desire to thrive.

This year that's passing,
Has been harsh and kind,
And left its markings on your mind.
Yet here you stand, still breathing deeply,
With hope your heart has learned to keep.
In a quiet victory, that is yours to hold
Worth more than any medal of gold.

©️Lizzie Bevis

blade meets silver scales,
flesh protests with fleeting thrash—
life yields to the sea.

plastic wraps the gills,
airless world beneath the waves—
drowning without fight.

carried far away,
a graveyard of shining fins—
nature's quiet plea.