I WRITE THIS TO ME IN TEN YEARS’ TIME
AND WONDER IF MY TRUTHS REMAIN.
DO I STILL REACH TOWARDS THE SUNSHINE?
DOES MY LAUGHTER RIPPLE IN THE RAIN?
I HOPE YOU KNOW, DEAR FUTURE SELF,
IF YOUR PASSION IS ALL YOU PURSUE,
SO LONG AS LOVE FLOWS THROUGH EACH VEIN
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU.
AT TWENTY-SIX, PERHAPS YOU ARE BOLDER
NO LONGER A SAPLING, NOT YET A GREAT OAK
PINK PETALS BLOOM GENTLY AROUND YOUR SHOULDER
FROM NEWLY FORMED BRANCHES, HELD STRONG BY HOPE
YOU’VE GROWN SO MUCH, DEAR FUTURE SELF,
AND YOUR BLOSSOMS GLEAM WHITE IN THE DEW.
WHILE YOU GROW AND YOU GO TO THE TOP OF EACH SLOPE,
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU.
EVEN WHEN LIFE ISN’T FULL OF RED ROSES,
WHEN IT’S THORNY AND MESSY AND ROUGH,
WINDS BLOW MUCH COLDER, YOUR SPRING CHAPTER CLOSES
AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE JUST NOT ENOUGH
YOU’VE BEEN THERE BEFORE, DEAR FUTURE SELF,
IN THE DROUGHTS AND THE FLOODS, YOU PULLED THROUGH
AS YOU BRACE FOR THE WINTER, I KNOW THAT YOU’RE TOUGH
AND I AM SO PROUD OF YOU.
IN TWENTY OR THIRTY OR FORTY YEARS’ TIME
AS A WEATHERED YET WONDERFUL TREE
A MIND BRIGHT AS EVER, EYES THAT STILL SHINE
YOU’RE THE HERO WHO ONCE WAS SIXTEEN
LOOK BACK AND SMILE, DEAR FUTURE SELF,
FOR YOUR ROOTS KEPT YOU SAFE IN THE GUSTS
WHOEVER YOU ARE, AND WHOEVER I’LL BE
I WILL ALWAYS BE SO PROUD OF US
