Ode to Myself at 12 Years

After William Wordsworth

There was a time when I did not fear
the future that lay ahead of me;
I did not hesitate to go near
and never would I flee,
but ever-present were tears.

My mind was fresh and witty,
I lived forward in a dream
which to me never did seem
the likeness of a pity.

The pale brain sops with worry;
gooey reminiscence, recognizing
that somehow, it is always in a hurry.
It abates the trauma, finding
those years truly to be surly.

It was the last good year for innocence,
so often I think about the warm sun,
the way I could always have summer fun,
yet I’ve lost that company, in a sense.

It’s how the smell of sunscreen and sweat
annually toss me into emotional debt.

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About the Author

Dani K. is a recent graduate of Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, where she studied English-Creative Writing. Currently, she works in analytics at a marketing agency in Little Rock. During her free time, she enjoys hiking, playing PC games, listening to true crime podcasts, and writing about the human condition. Using her poetry, Dani hopes to achieve a sense of empathy with readers.

Dani Kuntz
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