Perfectly Imperfect
By Shreya Nippani, Grade 7 (May 31, 2023)

One can be proficient in many things. A teacher who instructs, a pianist who plays. An artist that paints, a celebrity that sings. A leader who leads, and a dancer who performs. All I do is mourn. I am nothing but a rusted old pearl that needs shining.

Just perfectly imperfect, all I need is trying

Ode to joy is a mantra of life, or so they say. Elixir is a necessity to get through my day. The waves rent and crash and soar at my bidding. Unless I try my hope is dwindling. Days turn to months, months into years. Try to avoid it but the pain sears.

Just my perfectly imperfect life, I try to say goodbye

But alas, throughout my struggle and strife, I sought a tunnel out of the night. Hope is like the torch towards love. A symbolic countenance in the shape of a dove. “Your triumph will not last” says the ominous betrayal voice inside. “For courage and hope inside are all a lie”. Feeling weakened and unable to persevere on, the last of my hope withers away into the abyss, all gone.

Perfectly imperfect, now reality has seeped through

“Halt, stop, pause” echoed yet again. “You are capable of more than you can”. Flustered and confused, I had the courage to carry on. All that was lost is now not gone. Tranquility, peace surrounds me, and the weight of pressure alleviates me. Exhilarated and joyful the world truly is, how could I be so foolish to let it miss.

Perfectly imperfect, now I see, my life truly is free