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Poetry: Disillusioned youth

by Latrisha Smith-Barney

In My Younger Years

In my younger years, I had dreams.

I believed the possibilities were endless.

I believed in God.

In my younger years, I believed the sun shone just for me.

Ah, the innocence of youth.

I convinced myself that the cloudy days

were for others, not me.

I believed that nothing was impossible,

that I had only to dream, and try hard.

Now that my innocence has waned, and my youth

is no longer fresh as the morning dew,

I realize the stark truth.

Life is made of sunshine and clouds,

and it takes more than just trying hard.

It takes praying, and crying, and hoping.

All of that, with a little luck thrown in.

And sometimes, even with all that,

things still don't work out,

but the sun will shine again.

Ah, the wisdom of age.

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