I sit down in
A hole so deep.
I look around
And then I weep.
My hand reaches out
For whatever is there.
My hand finds nothing,
No one who will care.
I sit confused,
Weary and mad.
I sit alone,
Scared and sad.
I cannot stand
To sit so low.
I look around,
Now I must go.
I stand up,
Weak but alive.
I may not succeed,
But I will survive.
I move along,
Little by little.
Travel is slow,
But I do not fiddle.
I came up to
A wall so steep.
It reminded me only
Of my hole so deep.
My fingers felt
The walls of muck.
I dug them in
And they got stuck.
I had an idea
To climb that wall.
It was very high
And I could fall.
I made a choice;
I had to try.
I wouldn’t let
More time go by.
Up I climbed
With all my strength.
I never thought
Of my climb in length.
I am tired,
But I will not stop.
I tell myself
I’m near the top.
I feel so helpless,
But try to ignore pain.
I think only
Of what I could gain.
I don’t think
Of when I slip.
I only try
Even harder to grip.
Often I stop
In a place to rest.
I don’t want to go,
But I’ll give my best.
Days were months
And months were years.
I lost much blood
And shed many tears.
On I went,
Moving up.
Kept on going
To fill my cup.
I think I’m at
Then end of my rope.
I hate to admit,
I’m out of hope.
Just one last time
My hand reached high.
If felt the edge
And began to cry.
My energy,
It was restored.
I made it now;
I’m with the Lord.
Age 15
A hole so deep.
I look around
And then I weep.
My hand reaches out
For whatever is there.
My hand finds nothing,
No one who will care.
I sit confused,
Weary and mad.
I sit alone,
Scared and sad.
I cannot stand
To sit so low.
I look around,
Now I must go.
I stand up,
Weak but alive.
I may not succeed,
But I will survive.
I move along,
Little by little.
Travel is slow,
But I do not fiddle.
I came up to
A wall so steep.
It reminded me only
Of my hole so deep.
My fingers felt
The walls of muck.
I dug them in
And they got stuck.
I had an idea
To climb that wall.
It was very high
And I could fall.
I made a choice;
I had to try.
I wouldn’t let
More time go by.
Up I climbed
With all my strength.
I never thought
Of my climb in length.
I am tired,
But I will not stop.
I tell myself
I’m near the top.
I feel so helpless,
But try to ignore pain.
I think only
Of what I could gain.
I don’t think
Of when I slip.
I only try
Even harder to grip.
Often I stop
In a place to rest.
I don’t want to go,
But I’ll give my best.
Days were months
And months were years.
I lost much blood
And shed many tears.
On I went,
Moving up.
Kept on going
To fill my cup.
I think I’m at
Then end of my rope.
I hate to admit,
I’m out of hope.
Just one last time
My hand reached high.
If felt the edge
And began to cry.
My energy,
It was restored.
I made it now;
I’m with the Lord.
Age 15