On the days you are hardest on yourself,
Remember you are a child of this universe,
That you too contain all the little infinities
As a human just trying to be.
Where Hope Comes From
It comes from heartache.
And it grows like the lone sapling
from the ashes of loss.
And it carves its way out
of the heavy heart of tragedy and its heavy cost.
And it rises like a soldier, thought lost,
returning home to his mother.
And it smiles like the calm, clear sky
following weeks of one storm after another.
And maybe this is why, when Pandora
opened the box that carried such calamities,
which afflicted all of mankind,
gentle hope emerged from there, too.
What else helps us
overcome suffering
if not giving hope
a chance to bloom?
Acknowledgments
My lovely agent Niki Chang, who has been so supportive and brilliant to me always.
The wonderful Sam Eades, for being an excellent editor and pushing me to do my best.
Trista, for being one of the first people to look at these poems and guide me.
Steve, for being so amazing through this process.
Nikesh, for always being there for me. Thank you, my brother.
Susannah, Gaby, Sim, for being a constant source of positivity and poetry in a heartbreaking time.
Nerm, Anoushka, Salena, Nadine, Safiya, Joelle, Carlos, Roger, Roshni, Sunnah, Sheena, Sharan, Sophia, Sanah, Dean, Pragya, for being powerful creatives and inspirations.
Ewoma, Emma, Lauz, Clare, Layla, Alison, Shaun, Rebekah, Clara, Annie, Dave, Heather, Matt, Faye, Iain, for your support and love.
And finally, thank you to you, dear reader. May you always find what you’re looking for.
With verse, warmth, and love,
Nikita
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