“My Island Tree,” by Margaret Dawson

October 15, 2019

It used to be
A place of comfort
Of freedom
Of joy
Then it changed
Into
A place of worry
Of dread
Of anxiety
How can something so innocent
Lead to changing the way I
Think
Feel
Act
This beautiful place
Now holds secrets
And scars
I could
Climb
Then leap
Swinging into the cool, crisp water
I could
Dance
And sing
It was all so carefree
The sunset
Cold water
Mountains
Sand
And tree
Were happy
Wonderful memories
That I cherished
And still do
Then
It happened
It changed things
I fear going back
I fear that it will be different
Changed
I can’t continue
Like this
I can’t let the bad things
Define me
Or change me
I need to embrace it
Learn from it
Keep the lessons with the memories
Keep this place as my own
It is mine
It is meIt is special
And I intend
To keep it that way.

Margaret Dawson wrote this poem while a seventh grader at McClure Middle School, with WITS Writer-in-Residence Jay Thompson. Performed at the Seattle Arts & Lectures’ SAL Presents event with Rachel Maddow at Benaroya Hall on October 11, 2019.