Welcome to Poetically Yours. Poetically Yours showcases poems by northern Illinois poets. This week’s segment features Suzannah Walter.
Walter is a former Montessori teacher of 24 years and now spends her days writing poetry, songs and essays. She’s surrounded by literature at her Prairie Fox Books part-time job. Much of her work is influenced by her childhood years on the family farm. Walter lives with her husband, children and their dog, Lakota, in Ottawa, Illinois.
Her poem is called “To Our Children.”
Just by being born
you are miraculous
out of stardust
a supernova celebration of life
stellar
luminous
fiery
grow and nurture
evolve and shine
just by being born
you are
find the quiet
sit in the open spaces
be at peace
with yourself
your people
your world
breathe
breathe again
breathe through your eyelids this time
now fight like hell
be the captain of your becoming
listen to your heart
listen to your gut
understand the world as it is
see the world as it could be
live, feet dangling from the precipice of possibility
love yourself
love yourself so much that it bleeds into the fabric of humanity
where your color, your joy, your enthusiasm for life
spills out
adding to the life of another
carve that life
out of what is raw and beautiful and authentic
and never stop
fail
fall
rise
fail again
always sing the song that dwells within YOUR heart
let the white noise of insignificant critics
fall away
lift your eyes to the night sky
marvel at the stars
and remember
that YOU are the UNIVERSE
that is why it shines
