By Viviana Madanipour
A little girl skips past me, wearing a bright pastel yellow dress.
She doesn’t see me in her joy;
Smile large, eyes sparkling with excitement, and an infectious giggle.
The same girl reappears, in a fuschia skirt and Star Wars T-shirt,
Her smile dampened yet still hopeful, as she gazes upon her new school.
Colors blur together as another girl passes,
Wearing black pants, a simple shirt and a navy jacket.
Her head trapped in the middle of a book;
Wordlessly navigating around monotone people.
I can’t see what the title is, but I know that it’s a good read.
Once more, the colors blur,
Becoming clearer as another girl passes.
Her strained smile and somber mood immediately noticeable.
I can’t hear anything as she passes, no footsteps,
No humming, not even her breath.
Just stand still silence.
The silence leaves me and the colors blur again,
Leaving another girl behind, her eyes reflect pain,
But she still tries to maintain some semblance of optimism.
She walks past, glancing around,
Seemingly warry and yet curious at the same time.
Once again, the colors blur,
Instead of a new girl, I’m left with a pond;
The water clear as it reflects my image.
As I gaze into the crystal waters, I see a girl that is hopeful,
A girl that is curious, a girl that is warry,
A girl that is excited, a girl who values a good book,
A girl who has yet to realize her style.
I realize the girls I saw,
Each a different age, with different and yet similar emotions;
Those girls were me, different shades of me,
Of my soul, and my values.
I love every shade of me,
No matter what comes next as another shade becomes catalogued,
I’ll love her as well.