Duke - Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) https://alumni.duke.edu/magazine/writers/kimberly-gaubault-mccrae en A poem about freedom: Anthem for you https://alumni.duke.edu/magazine/articles/poem-about-freedom-anthem-you <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>I understand that</p> <p>on some days you will nurse lonely</p> <p>you will argue with mirror</p> <p>swallowing distorted images</p> <p>telling yourself that you are not this kind of ugly</p> <p>you will select colors that say “available”</p> <p>and draw on a face that will make you believe</p> <p>that the last one who doubted your beauty</p> <p>was both blind and stupid</p> <p>I fear that in those moments</p> <p>you will forget</p> <p>in the middle of lonely</p> <p>is one</p> <p>you are the one</p> <p>who has overcome insurmountable obstacles</p> <p>maybe not the same as mine</p> <p>but they were your mountain to climb</p> <p>and you climbed it</p> <p>scaled it to peak</p> <p>and met thin air</p> <p>but thickened resolve</p> <p>you</p> <p>a perfectly shaped masterpiece</p> <p>with flaws and failures</p> <p>that make you irreplaceable</p> <p>you are not the catch line to a phrase</p> <p>nor the chorus to the latest song</p> <p>you are a bridge</p> <p>a bridge</p> <p>the bridge</p> <p>the connection between a broken yesterday</p> <p>and a whole tomorrow</p> <p>you</p> <p>will never pass this way again</p> <p>and you are glad about it</p> <p>and this way will miss you</p> <p>will covet your strong stance and your sturdy stride</p> <p>as they will try to pull you back</p> <p>will not know why but will try nonetheless</p> <p>and you</p> <p>will</p> <p>NOT</p> <p>let</p> <p>them</p> <p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1111891315&amp;color=ff5500" width="100%"></iframe></p> <div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-290303657" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Devils' Share: The Podcast of Duke Magazine">The Devils' Share: The Podcast of Duke Magazine</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-290303657/anthem-for-you" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Anthem For You">Anthem For You</a></div> <p>you will keep walking</p> <p>will not expend energy</p> <p>on running&nbsp;</p> <p>from that which cannot follow</p> <p>it cannot follow</p> <p>they cannot follow</p> <p>you cannot go back</p> <p>they cannot follow</p> <p>you cannot go back</p> <p>they cannot follow</p> <p>you will not go back</p> <p>you are made of more</p> <p>than tearful moments and well-crafted insults</p> <p>you</p> <p>are affected by words that sting</p> <p>words carelessly placed</p> <p>to harm you</p> <p>you</p> <p>acknowledge it all but never crumble</p> <p>you are sand</p> <p>you are waves</p> <p>you cannot be still</p> <p>you are waves</p> <p>you cannot be silent</p> <p>you are waves</p> <p>at times white capped and wily</p> <p>you are waves</p> <p>you are ebb</p> <p>and you are flow</p> <p>and all the while</p> <p>you are God’s rendition of peace be still</p> <p>you</p> <p>will stretch your hands to the sky</p> <p>remind the sun, “This spirit created you”</p> <p>and you will walk</p> <p>like a million sunsets are bowing at your feet</p> <p>you</p> <p>unbreakable you</p> <p>and you will be here</p> <p>long after your spirit</p> <p>has evacuated the shell</p> <p>that you have painted perfection</p> <p>I understand that</p> <p>on some days you will nurse lonely</p> <p>but you</p> <p>will be defined</p> <p>by the snow angels you left behind</p> <p>when you fell</p> <p>stretched</p> <p>steadied yourself</p> <p>and got back up again</p> <p><em>Gaubault (McCrae) ’00 is an intentional lover of people and advocates for defining one’s personal freedom.&nbsp;</em></p> </div></div></div> <h3 class="field-label"> Published </h3> <span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2021-08-24T15:30:45-04:00">Tuesday, August 24, 2021</span><section class="field field-name-field-main-image field-type-image field-label-above view-mode-rss"><h2 class="field-label">Main image:&nbsp;</h2><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-none" src="https://alumni.duke.edu/sites/default/files/dm-main-images/1041%20essay%20art_poem.png" width="981" height="400" alt="" /></figure></div></section><section class="field field-name-field-topics field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss"><h2 class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</h2><ul class="field-items"><li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/alumni" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Alumni</a></li><li class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/arts-and-culture" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Arts and Culture</a></li><li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/performing-arts" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Performing Arts</a></li><li class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/women-s-forum" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Women’s Forum</a></li></ul></section><section class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss"><h2 class="field-label">Writer:&nbsp;</h2><ul class="field-items"><li class="field-item even"><a href="/magazine/writers/kimberly-gaubault-mccrae" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae)</a></li></ul></section><section class="field field-name-field-issue field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss"><h2 class="field-label">Issue:&nbsp;</h2><ul class="field-items"><li class="field-item even"><a href="/magazine/issues/special-2021" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Special 2021</a></li></ul></section> <h3 class="field-label"> Featured article </h3> Yes <h3 class="field-label"> Background color </h3> blue <h3 class="field-label"> Cover Story </h3> <h3 class="field-label"> Homepage </h3> Tue, 24 Aug 2021 19:38:04 +0000 Adrienne Martin 18514020 at https://alumni.duke.edu https://alumni.duke.edu/magazine/articles/poem-about-freedom-anthem-you#comments