Onward and Upward by Alena Kiel

(aka the Bennington poem, or what I call “anti- slam poetry”)

It’s days like today that feel ripe with hope.

The sun is out and shining,
cloud-windy days are far
and away gone past.

I’m done with the back and forth.
I’m through living my life parenthetically.

I want to walk down these streets
with my head held high
because I know soon
so soon
I’ll be where I want to be.

What will it matter that I’ve never fit in?
What will it matter that I’m the most
socially awkward person I know?

I can trail those old days behind me
like ribbons, the ones when the
weight of the world hung on me
like ten ton cobwebs, achy and dirty
and disinterested.

I want to run,
free and unabashed
and unafraid
into all these days ahead.

Come on world.
Throw me everything you’ve got:
hope’s on my side.