Kiss of youth

Oh what I’d give to be you again

A head full of dreams, none down the drain

Back then, Mendota was lively as far as eyes could see

The sight of roadside bunnies left me in glee

The possibilities were endless and stress barely existed

As I achieved things that were unprecedented 

I was not swallowed in the sea of thousands 

Nor did I feel stranded on an island 

I found fun company in my dorm neighbors 

I sought solace in these pages, devoted myself to this paper

My zenith came at the end of fall

We were hurtling towards 2020; I thought I could have it all

But then came the pandemic that cut it all short

Destroying the foundations of my sturdy fort 

Mendota stopped serving as a lively sign of boundless dreams

A dark silence replaced the joyful screams  

Two years on, I have finally made something of the ruins

The ups and downs have followed like inseparable, squabbling twins

The silence is now broken by faint sounds of a glorious past

As I enter my final year, I hope it lasts

But I still struggle to shake the what ifs

So I say, don’t let fear ever leave you stiff

Make the most of every minute

Go out and live a little, push your limits

Oh what I’d give for a kiss of youth

To go back in time with these truths

I’ve got one final year to put it to the test

As I give this wisdom to you, I wish you all the very best.

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