Welcome to Poetically Yours. Poetically Yours highlights poems by northern Illinois poets. This week’s poet is Danyla Nash.
Nash is a first-year student at Northern Illinois University majoring in journalism and pursuing a minor in communication. She started writing in elementary school but said she’s performed slam poetry since she was 12 years old. Nash became Urbana’s first youth poet laureate in 2022 and served for one year. She said she loves to write, color, paint, and learn.
Here's her poem “The Cycle.”
I cannot say that once my cold months pass I bloom.
As the leaves lay to rest and the animals go into hiding
As do I
This cycle is what captures me.
The greenery and animals fall into routine
As they already know what the months bring
I become lost in the uncertainty of the seasons
This cycle is what captures me.
To fall in love or to fall out
To grow into myself and get to know me from years past
There is no consistency within my cold months.
So as the cycle proceeds
And I bask in awe at the certainty of the greenery and animals around me
This cycle is what captures me.
So to look at myself
Give her love
Tell her I’m sorry.
It is required for my cold months
So I’ll admit it once more
For all its uncertainty and destiny awaiting me
The ups and downs are what I crave.
This cycle is what captures me
