Walking backward now I watch myself, my face reversed
in the mirrored glass. I open it and turn the clock hands
back to where this should begin in my undergraduate days
of desperate indecision about how best to escape paradise.
Back then I was so sick of the sameness, the result
of one bad choice, Hawai‘i having suddenly gone
so desperately stale and comfortless all around.
The idea of graduate school came to me, an expedient plan to leave,
continuing my education elsewhere seemed the best escape.
The advice I received was to apply to nine schools of differing difficulty
that might grant my need to break away across the Pacific Ocean.
Exhausted, however, by everything crashing down around me,
I had the energy only to apply to three, my slimmest hope then would be
that Berkeley, Harvard, or Wisconsin would actually accept me.
* * * * *
Aloha #WriterMonday, I hope you had a safe and restful weekend. Today’s #WritingPrompt is actually two
escape
paradise
Use either or both to inspire a piece or writing, any style, any length, and them post that a piece on your site and link back to me, or simply leave it as a comment below. I would love to read it : )
Lanning Lee 