By Emma Lawson

I mourn you already
Even though now you are healthy
with few enough wrinkles to count on one
hand that holds me like a prized possession
Time will pass like the changing tide
that washes away to reveal new life
And soon you will too
Soon our paths will diverge and I won't know you as I once did
I won't know the addictive sound of your laugh or
the warming sight of your smile that could illuminate
every dark place I’ve ever been stuck in
Guilt courses deep through my veins for
every time I yelled at you to minimize my pain
And regret takes hold when I realize that I can’t reverse
the clock, can’t help that you will only grow old
I am in the moment but I am also watching,
from some point in the future
Mourning you already

Honorable Mention: Emma Lawson
San Rafael High School