Inspiration

This is a poem of sorts that inspires me. It was written by Ellen Hopkins and is the opening to her book Burned. This is a fantastic book and author and I recommend it to anyone who loves reading books as much as I do. I will say for those who are more conservative in their readings, this may not be the book for you. However, I find great passion and inspiration in it.

I Began
To view the world at large
through borrowed eyes,
eyes more like those
I wanted to own.

Hopeful.

I began
to see that it was more than
okay---it was in some circles,
expected---to question my
little piece of the planet.

Empowered.

I began
to understand that I could
stretch if I wanted to, explore
if I dared, escape
if I just put one foot
in front of the other.

Enlightened.