I have grown up without bothering to learn
about what love is
and what life suggests
and how my thoughts and my words can mean
so much and so little simultaneously

I have grown up learning
that love is imperfect and flawless
and life is short
but it is the longest thing we do
and that my thoughts only mean anything to me
and my words should only be structured to favor others

And I will grow up learning
that love is all I can ever hope for
and life is only what I make it out to be
and my thoughts will matter to those
who will matter to me
and my words will be held until they can be
passed on to steady hands
willing to accept them