unnecessary (2001)

 I wrote this in 2001.  I was twenty- one.  Sharing.  This is interesting.  


Unnecessary nervousness

unnecessary pain

unnecessary circumstance

unnecessary rain


unnecessary handles

my umbrella, it does break

unnecessary cover up

my money, it does take


unnecessary sun

that washes out the rain

the clouds will warm and cover me

and drown away my pain


unnecessary puddles

my feet, they do get wet

unnecessary sneakers 

im trying to forget


the times my feet were soaked on through

the times the water filled

the time that God came after me

and didn’t have me killed


unnecessary question

I ask myself each day

like was it raining at the time

the angels flew my way


unnecessary birds 

that flew around me still

and soaked up all my promises

to stick to all my will


unnecessary times

unnecessary frown

unnecessary promises

unnecessary town


unnecessary world

that took me by surprise

and showed me me despite it all

and made me face my lies


unnecessary does not mean

I do not need things now

unnecessary gives me time

to ask myself “now how”


how to I go from here to there

without ME getting lost

how do I find myself within 

at full and any cost


how does the world remain the same

when I myself do change?

how I do keep trudging along

how do I turn the page


how does my piece remain so calm

the world is spinning fast

how am I here and there and out

of my so so awful past


I think the answer is not how

but the question is more fun-

I am the person I have made

in fact then, I have won


unnecessary challenge

the winner- it is me

I swear I won’t give up my prize

I’ll hold it, honestly


it will be a prize, you see

that no one else has won

and I am so much better off

than then when I begun


no one can take the medal

not one can own my heart

the journey I have earned, 

my friend, was solid from the start


I am me regardless

of the person I have made

the walk through me

unnecessary, solitude parade


thank god I am still cheering

still working on my float

I’ve already won the ribbon

already won the vote


whose to say unnecessary

isn’t honorable still

because the moments I’ve created

have given me my will


and now that is the strangest thing

I know I’ll never know

how it is I’ve found this will

and how to not let go


unnecessary poems

unnecessary words

but here they are regardless

emotional- like turds


(c) SHANNON RUNION