I.
Fall came;

tore the summer of my innocence away-
a flow of energy-
a rush of darkness-
bells ringing,
halls buzzing.
footsteps,
voices.
pushing,
shoving,
laughter.
The unknown-
the fear
held me back
distracted me.
their laughing faces,
their pointing fingers
“because she was home-schooled-”
“freak show girl”
And so I sit in class
and look outside, longing,
and draw that one barren tree.


II.
Winter came;
cold seeped into the autumn of my fear.
energy dies,
relinquishing the battle,
settling for less.
No longer the unknown;
no longer the feared-
now just the pain,
now just the cold,
now just the darkness.
Gone all day;
never seeing the light of the sun.
gray
snow
cold.
still they laugh,
still the point,
still they slowly kill me-
“because she was home-schooled-”
“that’s why she’s smart”
And so I still sit in class,
and look outside, longing,
and draw that one barren tree


III.
Spring came;
washing away the winter of my despair
something stirs within me.
I lift up my head:
new sights
new smells
new hopes.
healing-
Each new day.
when did spring come?
i cannot say
i do not understand
the Lord moves in mysterious ways
His wonders to perform
still they laugh,
still they point-
“because she was home-schooled-”
“that’s why she ignores us”
And I sit in class
and look outside, laughing,
and draw that one tree that blossomed.