In the echoes of laughter, a younger me stood,
Amid steam and showers, where innocence once would.
We shared our days, our secrets in the air,
But there was a moment, one moment so rare.
Water cascaded, warmth in its embrace,
But I felt a stirring, a flush on my face.
My heart raced ahead, my mind in a blur,
A secret awakening, too young to infer.
I fled from the water, a storm in my chest,
Dressing in haste, I needed to rest.
Fear and confusion wrapped tight in my core,
What was this feeling I couldn’t ignore?
Days turned to weeks, and months into years,
I harbored this truth, amid shadows and fears.
But in time I would learn, in the quiet of night,
That love in my heart was pure, and it was right.
For I wasn’t like others, this I came to see,
The love that I felt was a part of me.
I cherished the truth, no longer afraid,
For the love of a girl, in my heart, had stayed.
Now, looking back, with wisdom and grace,
I see the young girl, and the path she’d embrace.
A journey of love, of finding my way,
From those tender school days to who I am today.
© Susie Stiles-Wolf