Life was a struggle,
Confusion and misunderstanding,
An unanswered question,
Life was safe,
Cautious and quiet,
An unopened book,
Flowers did not bloom,
They remained withdrawn and hidden,
Rivers never met oceans,
Never explored the sea,
There was fear;
Fear of knowing,
Fear of seeking,
Fear of finding,
It was unexplored,
Left as is,
Unchanging,
Undoubted,
Unquestioned,
But then there came a change,
A question,
A challenge,
A desire for knowledge,
And then life changed,
The flowers flourished,
One by one,
The rivers reached oceans;
Discovered new seas,
Fear began to fade,
There was nothing to fear,
Once there was knowledge,
Once life sought and found,
It was searching,
Learning,
Growing,
Changing,
Questioned,
Challenged,
Now life can grow,
Change,
Live without fear,
Face the challenges,
In this new world,
There is exploration,
There is knowledge,
There is a new sun,
The birds can fly,
They can spread their wings,
Take to the sky
*And be free . . .
©Nicola-Isobel Hanlon 15.12.2009
You may have noticed the distinct contrast between this poem and my others. This poem was originally written as a speech for the graduation of one of my leadership courses. Of course, it doesn't capture the true essence of my feelings or outlook on life but it certainly produced the required effect: the illusion of hope and change amongst my audience, people who did not require the honest answer.
I hope you like it, despite its falseness in regards to my true emotional state.