The Backwards Poem

By Kaitlyn Lee

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A path, a passage, a poem

A story, a song, a sequel

A timeline, a tune, a trip

All are straight lines

In time

They tell me

The only way to go is forward

But life

There are different paths

To take

I say it isn’t just a line

They tell me

“I feel like I’m moving backwards”

Because maybe that’s how it’s meant to be

Look at life in a different way

(Try reading this backwards)

My name is Kaitlyn Lee and I’m a sophomore. At school I’m an active member in a variety of academic clubs and competitions. Outside of school, I enjoy reading books, playing volleyball, and playing piano.

What motivated you to write this piece?

The pressures of high school sometimes makes it seem like everything is black and white. Either you pass or fail, you succeed or you don’t, and I didn’t like that. There are more ways to go than what we think and know at that time.

How do you resonate with your piece? Why is it personal to you?

This piece is personal to me as the idea that it’s okay to go a different way, to mess up, to try something new could all just be helping you get closer to what you’re meant to be.

What message do you hope to convey through your piece?

I hope to convey the message that in life there are many paths we can take, and it’s not just one straight line. What we may think at the moment is a step in the wrong direction, could be one step closer to who we’re meant to be.