YOUNG ADULT Poem by Samanvita Chakka

Shattered into pieces
Trying to put it together
Who is the girl I see?
I can’t seem to recognize her

Each part is different
Every piece is similar
Struggle to remember each one
They all seem so familiar

I study each segment
Attempt to see what’s hidden
Each image seems so normal
Each expression seems so forbidden

I try to attach each one
As they all look so mundane
Want to make them colorful
As they seem like they’re hiding their pain

I finally see past their image
Looking beyond each imperfection
What was hiding underneath?
It was just my reflection

I lie in the dark
Trying my best to sleep
But each time I close my eyes
I have nightmares instead of dreams

Thinking about what happened
Dreaming about what could be
No matter how hard I try
I cannot seem to sleep

I worry about the future
As the recent past has been unkind
I’m trying to let it go
But I can’t shut off my mind

My body tells me yes
My brain tells me no
I recall that I loved to sleep early
But it just seems so long ago

I stare up at the ceiling
Thinking that sleep was my friend
Don’t know why it’s rejecting me
Seems like the night will never end.