THIS IS
BELLE ST. JOHN, 11
This is joy This is elation This is speeding down the highway With music bleeding out of the windows of a candy red car This is facing the wind While amber and honey leaves swirl around you This is peace while watching the snow glide Down to earth and rest at last This is lights that twinkle at Christmas And flowers blooming in the spring This is an old playground where childhoods Are grown like roses in a garden This is the feeling of being loved This is cold lemonade on a summers day with friends This is acing the test you thought you failed This is falling asleep with a smile on your face This is staying up watch just one more episode This is curling up with a pan of cinnamon rolls And a book you’ve read a million times This is a fire and fuzzy socks This is napping because you’re sleepy Or is hitting snooze This is cleaning your room For the first time in forever This is belting your favorite song alone in your room This is faith This is church on Sunday This is singing This is lazy afternoons This is finger painting on a huge canvas This is quotes on a quote board This is the funniest teachers And the best classes This is your favorite movie And laughing so hard you snort And twirling in a gorgeous dress And goofing off so you’re late to class
And lying in the ground outside To look at the stars and talk This is stomachs dropping on a rollercoaster This is being spontaneous And very unorganized This is being creative This is school assemblies And talking between classes This is daydreaming This is a cup of coffee in the morning This is jokes at the back of the room This is a haircut for no reason This is a prank call And truth or dare This is eye contact across a crowd This is running And chasing This is pajama pants And sweatpants And hoodies And pockets This is apple pie on Thanksgiving This is ice cream Just because you can This is funny videos And the internet This is taking a walk Watching the leaves fall This is is the broken sidewalk With so much personality This is finishing school And taking a road trip to the beach Blasting the Lumineers Lying in the sunshine whether on the beach Or the front porch And driving Knowing you’re only an hour from home This is sleeping in the grass because you can This is getting a letter from grandma
And being hugged around the neck And the waist And lifted in the air
This is all the little perfect days Not only the assigned holidays
And being hugged around the neck And the waist And lifted in the air
This is living This is life This is joy This is elation
And screaming into the abyss
7
