Community

Forever a foreign born adoptee,

Surrounded by fields in heartland country.

This hyphenated sort of identity,

Never afforded me a place where I felt I was meant to be.

Like the cornstalks from my immaturity,

I peeled back the layers of other outcasts like me.

There amidst the poor life situation debris,

I found my sense of community.

Developing complete understanding and empathy,

Led me down paths I could never foresee.

There they could syphon my energy,

Leaving only a mere shell of who I ought to be.

I spent so long snuffing out internal fires burning.

My growing pains taught me,

That only living for others was not how I was meant to be.

While Iowa will always be a part of my destiny,

My true home is the hearth of my being.

There I nurtured a sense of clarity.

My center, my balancing,

A safe place for resting and recharging.

And from that foundation I dared creating,

A new sense of identity.

I redefined my duty,

From sacrifice to responsibility.

I emerged to not only look after others unselfishly,

But also to look deep within,

To find my sense of community.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my poem entered into the Homecoming Challenge. Please heart, tip, and share as you feel called 🙏🏼💛