Peace At Last!
Peace, oh Peace,
Having you can be taken for granted.
When you are here with me,
I can smile, I can read,
I can think clearly, I can lay my head down,
I can socialise, I can be productive.
Peace, oh Peace,
When you left me,
I carried hidden wounds,
The ache of never being enough.
I wore the "I'm okay" mask,
While my heart bled quietly,
My mind trapped in turmoil.
Every night, my pillow soaked in tears.
When will I ever be perfect?
I had nowhere to turn,
Home chaotic, school in despair.
I was a ghost in my own life,
Alienation seemed to be my solace.
Peace, oh Peace,
When you left me,
I was always in defense mode,
Sharp words, sharp moods, always scared.
Maybe I pressured myself too much,
Chasing perfection that was never enough,
Measured against their impossible standards.
Maybe no one truly understood me,
Everyone expected nothing less than perfection.
Perfection was exemplary performance,
Without perfection, I was invisible.
Invisibility came with a cane on my back,
With words: "This is good, but not good enough!"
I am not okay. Peace, I need you.
Peace, oh Peace,
When you finally heard me,
When you came to my rescue,
A hand held me tenderly, gently,
Giving me motivation.
I opened up,
I finally saw the light.
The external pressure that clouded my mind,
That forced me to meet others' expectations,
Instead of pursuing my dream, my passion.
That pressure, draining my focus, my productivity,
Vanished at last.
Peace, oh Peace,
Now I have you.
I can smile, I can talk,
I can read, I can lead.
My heart is leaping with joy,
My body relaxed, my mind focused.
At university, pursuing my dream.
Productive without comparison.
I can be myself, I can lay my head down.
Peace at last, I found you.
~BEATRICE KIVINDYO