grad poems

these walls 

these hard plastic chairs 

the hum of the fluorescent lights 

the security guard is locking up 

asks what I’m still doing here 

alone in a big classroom

“just thinking” 

he says I can stay

just lock up behind me 

thinking 

about this place 

how I feel part of it 

how I see my fingerprints 

on every door handle 

these walls have witnessed 

my world reshaped 

my mind rekindled

my heart revealed 

despite the boredom

the complaints

the annoyances 

the bad classes 

the hard markers 

the challenges 

despite it all 

or from it all

I grew 

here I asked a thousand questions 

and received less answers 

and more questions in return

the questions were the answers 

these stairwells 

these hallways 

we know each other 

they say I’m ready 

they’re sending me out

but I don’t think I’ll ever fully leave 

RNT