Up And Down Poem by Leria Hawkins

I know what it’s like to sing
Just as well, a bitter sting
I’ve rejoiced, there is no doubt
I’ve received and done without
And the whispers on the streets
Have had their share of me
Some in truth and some in lies
Some I lived and some surmised
I’ve had my cake and ate it too
I’ve been denied when I was due
I’ve been segregated, I’ve been a part
I know the weight of a heavy heart
Just as the rose has felt the rain
I’ve seen beauty and I’ve known pain
As rise and fall, the river flows
It’s sometimes high, and sometimes low
Such is life, a coaster ride
I’ve braved the winds, I’ve rode the tide
And so it goes, I’ve been around
Sometimes up, sometimes down...