By Elsie Rotich
peace – an end goal?
are we born with peace? At some point do we lose it along the way?
do some people store a little bit in their back pockets for emergencies?
do some lose it completely? Do some inherit more than others?
do some find what they can and hold onto it as tight as possible?
mine can be hard to create. But when I do, I hold on tight.
Protect it. Cradle it. Feed it. Love it. Soak it in.
although sometimes
when i think its secure enough
mature enough to stay where i can see it
I go off duty and
I set it down to roam freely
I divert my eyes off it for a second
I let my guard down for just a minute
and yet again
someone has managed to sneak up behind me and take it.
stir it, shake it, smash it,
throw it farther than my eyes can see.
tears fall as I put flyers but eventually
I presume it missing.
the search starts again.
Elsie Rotich is a third-year media production student from Maryland, U.S. She began writing poems in summer 2020 as an outlet for her emotions while being stuck at home. She is looking forward to continuing her passions for writing and grateful to have one of her first poems she’s ever written be published.
Leave a Reply