Roots - Poem

I have often struggled throughout my teen years to come to terms with how I behaved as a younger child. I despised being reminded of certain memories and also hated thinking about my behavior, which wasn't rude or inappropriate, but was quite obviously, the way a child would behave. Every time I would find myself thinking these thoughts, I'd cringe and force myself to think of something else.

Recently, a family member showed a certain song called "Roots", which talks about a person who takes the plunge into the past and tries to remember his childhood as a means to connect back to his heritage and ancestry. The main chorus line "I am going back to my roots", struck a chord with me and made me think about creating a poem based on the "Roots" prompt. After thinking about some potential lines, I sat down and started writing.

Written below, is the finished product. I hope you like it.

Yitzy Schweitzer

Roots - Poem

As I listen to my faint heartbeat,
As night develops around me,
It is time to sit back in to the past,
For, tonight, I am going on a journey.

As I settle down to relax now,
My mind is alert and ready,
Closing my eyes, welcoming the peace,
As I slip off into the distance, on my journey.

I am going back to my roots tonight,
I am going to search deep in the realms of my soul,
I am going to remember memories of times gone by,
I am going to hear conversation,
In the echoes of long ago.

The crickets create a harmony,
Their midnight song is being played,
Providing a serene soundtrack for me,
As my past, before me is relayed.

I take this journey with pride,
For I know I must never lose sighting,
Of my purpose, my mission, my desires, my ambition,
For my own individuality I will keep on fighting!

I am going back to my roots tonight,
I am going to search deep in the realms of my soul,
I am going to remember memories of times gone by,
I am going to hear conversation,
In the echoes of long ago.

So won’t you take me back,
Down the hallways and hallmarks,
Of my past?
Memories have traveled far,
Take me closer to them,
So they can last.

I am going back to my roots tonight,
I am going to search deep in the realms of my soul,
I am going to remember memories of times gone by,
I am going to hear conversation,
In the echoes of long ago.

So won’t you take me back,
To my roots?