If I could have a conversation with my 17 year old self here’s what i would say
Stand up for yourself,
Until you’re the tallest in the room
Rise up my friend
so no one can belittle you
speak with your chest,
Let the clouds hear you
Loud and proud
So when rain falls
It will wash away your doubts
Don’t carry those burdens
Your shoulders don’t deserve the strain
The only way to heal
Is by confronting the pain
Face to face,
The world is cold,
It’s not your fault
You possess and old soul
And a warm heart
~Michael Tavon
Copyright © 2020 by Michael Tavon. Reprinted by permission of the author.
Notes From R.K.
Michael Tavon is a poet, novelist, and artist born in Florida who writes about all stages of young adult life. I first started following this poet on Instagram a year ago when I became serious with my own writing. Though I’ve encountered and loved many of his poems, this one seems sacred.
It’s always refreshing to read a young man’s emotional journey, and poetry sometimes seems like the only place to find such vulnerability. This poem is not only a conversation that I needed to have with my seventeen-year-old self but with myself now on the daily. The world can be a cruel place for any and everyone. Stand up against it, and stand up for yourself always. You deserve it.