Back and Forth

The creaky, old swing rocks
Back and forth, back and forth
Reminding me of the rocking my mother did
Lulling me to sleep
I've sprouted
Tall and thin, glasses, long hair
Now listening
To the clack of my fingers on my laptop or the ding of the new text message
Not the sweet small voice of my mother
Instead of this old farmhouse,
I'm used to much more industrious things
The bustling city
Full of people and lights and sound
I've learned to love people
Besides the ones who raised me
But I still swing
Back and forth, past and present
Present and future.

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Katie Garmon, age 14
2008 Finalist
Cumming, Georgia
West Forsyth High School
Teacher: John Bush