by Katie Nelson
Your life cycled in circles: from knowledge
to success and ‘round to failure
from forgetting to remembering
and back to knowledge.
You laughed, you cried. You teased sweet
jokes, you screamed thorny jibes.
Between work and talent you stayed occupied
or freed yourself to friendly outings—though sparse were moments to spare.
Now the final circle loops above you, the cycle
closing in, concluding.
You must scan the pages of your life and recline
as the book falls from your lap. Like royalty
look straight ahead, chin high, and the rain will drift
away. Hear the whisperings of the world.
They will call you determined, disheveled,
disheartened, brilliant and dumbfounded.
They will call you what victims
call their villains, what lovers call their loves.
But it was simple, the spinning of your circle:
from knowledge to success
and ‘round to failure. You gained,
you lost. You learned, you forgot.
Like lowly souls be satisfied, what more
could you have done?
You remembered the contents of those pages.
You laid that book to rest.
Katie Nelson is the author of the short story collection, "Parties All Around." Her works have been recognized by Pigeon Review and numerous writing contests. Katie is currently a high school senior with intentions of studying creative writing in college.