Elise Skidmore

 
 Learning Love
 
 
 She grew up in a world where  
 it was obvious she was not the favorite.
 The middle child of six,  
 the one who cried all the time.
 They said she didn't know why she cried,
 but she knew.
 She yearned for love,  
 but wouldn't let anyone see;
 visibility would make her vulnerable,
 and being vulnerable hurt too much.
 
 
 Instead she gave away
 all the love she had inside her.
 Ahead of her time,  
 she didn't need new age slogans
 and inspirational quotes to learn the lesson:
 love tossed freely into the world  
 comes back many times over,
 like the endless waves rushing the shore.
 
 
 She wanted to be loved,
 and she was loved by many,
 but she was never a good swimmer.
 So, when waves of love crashed over her,
 she thrashed around before  
 reluctantly, she grasped the hands
 that reached out to pull her in.
 
 
 She wanted to be thankful,
 gracious at the gifts they bestowed on her,
 but all she could do was
 cast out her net of love
 in hope of keeping them close.
 
 
 ~Elise Skidmore ©2019