Things in life are said to have a way of working themselves out, even despite these unprecedented moments and uncertain times.

The circumstances of the universe will pull themselves together, somehow,

And weave in the fragments of confidence and threads of bravery that remain.

I know you’re exhausted from hearing those timeworn cliches: “We’re all in this together! Embrace the new normal!”

But hey, at least people are trying; you gotta give them some credit: They are really trying.

So maybe the knots won’t completely untangle today, 

And maybe the world won’t lift itself off your shoulders tomorrow.

But, the relief we’re all seeking will come when the universe thinks the time is right.

Just as the rain comes and goes over a day or week or three,

So will the world’s stresses come and go.

It may take days, it may take months, it may take seventeen minutes from now; we don’t know.

But in the meantime, while the world is still on standby, 

Keep your chin up; you deserve to be here.

Even if the world is a little broken right now, and even if the pieces are a little broken, battered and bruised,

You keep moving forward and take each step day by day. 

There’s no better time or better place than here and now to do something, anything.

So keep trekking forward in that battle that seems so uphill.

Even when you feel like falling, drowning, giving up,

Reach deep down and pull at your heartstrings till they align,

And remember that you can still soar through the air and reach that glimmering moon; your wings just need a little rest, starshine.

This poem was written for the 2021 Appelley Publishing Poetry Contest. It will be published in the 2021 Rising Stars Collection, which is a book compiled of a select few of the poems that were entered in the contest. 

Author’s Note: I was inspired to write this poem as a means to spread hope amidst the hysteria and growing concern with the pandemic. Even though things have been looking pretty grim the past year, I wanted to attempt to create a sense of safe optimism and comfort for everyone to read. Writing is my vessel to express my emotions, both positive and negative, so I wanted to write a piece to portray the sense of hope and the words that I wanted said to myself in March of last year. We are all growing as a people through these times, and hopefully, we are nearing the end of the tunnel so-to-speak. Though I know one poem cannot reverse any of the horrible losses we have all experienced throughout this past year, I hope that it can at least provide you with a sense of comfort or even optimism as we live each day in this world together.