Growing Up Poem by Joshua McKinney

This life will destroy you
It will build you up
And for a time it will feel as if everything will be okay
But at that exact moment the foundation will crumble
I had fallen to my knees
I had given up all hope
When I finally had the strength to lift my tired head
That's when I saw you
I gazed deeply into your beautiful brown eyes
I sought refuge there
And for a while all seemed at peace
However we were both at war
There can never be peace with war
And within all the smoke and fire
I lost you
I blamed myself, I punished myself
Told myself i didn't deserve to be happy
Shut myself away from everyone and everything
The fact is it wasn't my fault, or her fault
It was just this life, this reality we live in
I'm older now
I look at you, and into your eyes
See that same girl looking back at me
But she's grown up now, and so have I
I will not lose you this time
I've come to realize that this war never ends
So take my hand
I promise we will make it out alive