Imitation #7 Just Words By Corynn Bernhardt

Just Words

By Corynn Bernhardt

I just can’t seem to find

The words in any poem I write

To describe or tell you

How it felt then or how I feel now.

A poetic cliché we never were.

So instead I’ll write of the things

I can’t find the words for,

And cross my fingers I get

My point across.

A song for us we never needed.

We were happy without.

A letter or two was never written,

Just short words left on birthday cards.

Rushed, yes, maybe a lot.

I see how that happened.

A frozen yogurt experience

A first turned out to be just another.

A drunken experience or two,

Those were good nights,

But also some of the worst.

I remember it all now.

I still imagine a hug from you again.

You were always good at that.

But don’t be fooled by this,

I’m a changed woman.

Lazy days are at a minimum now,

More involved than I’ve ever been.

Finally realizing my calling.

First Belize, then Swaziland.

After my graduation,

It’s not work or grad school.

All I want to do is serve,

Especially those orphans overseas.

Why am I telling you all of this?

I guess I just wanted you to know.

To confirm that it wasn’t pointless.

Both of us have different places to be.

But I don’t regret or forget

The long nights and the short days

Where the pup was our kid

And Netflix was our fix.

The arguments we had at the wrong times;

Those were never going to end.

Especially now, you couldn’t withstand

My new perspective on life.

You’d think I’d be out to party,

To get drunk and go crazy.

I’m quite the opposite

Since my relationship status has changed.

With God that is.

I know He’s been calling me for a long time.

And of course, as you know.

I’m stubborn.

It’s been a wild rollercoaster of two months,

And I can say with confidence

It was for the best.

This term has been interesting to say the least.

At least in this class.

I feel semi-strange doing this.

But I also feel compelled.

Who knows if you’ll actually read this?

I definitely can’t put words to my thoughts.

I anticipated that before.

But it’s something small I guess.

I owe you that.

So here’s to being stubborn

And to always being right (both of us)

And to all the piggyback rides

And to all the froyo,

And the car rides.

And the puppy.

My mom said we were like siblings.

Kind of weird, but makes me laugh.

One more thing I want to say:

I’m glad we were never a cliché

And that we never had a song.

We didn’t need them

And probably never would.