Dear Future
By Genevy Machuca
This poem won Second Place in the 2022 Spark! Youth Poetry Competition at the Las Vegas Book Festival.
I want to start by apologizing to younger me
I head to college in a year,
And now it's starting to get pretty clear
I’m not going to be a princess
Wearing that shiny pink dress…
In fact I outgrew my tap shoe
Even got my license…
Turned up the speakers and kicked off my sneakers just to grow a few inches
Despite how much I hated heels
And I know this wasn’t ideal
But at last, I am moving on from the past
Mr. future I am not ready
You sound so far away
But you’re getting closer each day
And I’m still not exactly sure what I want to be
Life keeps confusing me
I’ve worked so hard to maintain straight A’s
Doing my best
But now I just feel like a mess
Unsure of what you have in store
But I am waiting, for you to show me more
Days pass as I roll the dice in this game of life
Hoping I roll a six to keep me going
Meanwhile the pressure keeps growing
But I am excited to see what you bring
To fulfill my every wish and desire
In hopes to one day sit on my own porch in front of the campfire
Outside of my new home in Hacienda Heights
Overlooking thousands and thousands of lights
Listening to the birds chirp as I drink my morning tea
Because as of right now I refuse coffee
But who knows?
That may change
The way it all works is strange
But Mr. Future
Should I be worried?
With the way life is going will the trees even continue growing ?
Will I even be able to travel across the seas
If the water can't even reach above my knees?
Or ever get the chance to show my kids all the flowers and bees?
Look
I know you are unfamiliar
And I have yet to meet you
What will you be
What will unfold
It’s honestly untold
You hold a canvas of possibilities
Oh,
Dear future
Let me paint a beautiful timeline of what’s to come
To make my dreams a reality
And shine brighter than the sun
…
Mr future.
Are you there ?
Photos courtesy of Genevy Machuca.
Genevy Machuca was born and raised in the vibrant city of Las Vegas. When she’s not playing softball or practicing her public speaking skills, you can find Genevy buried in her writing. As a senior in high school, she proud to have placed 2nd in the Spark! Youth Poetry Competition at the Las Vegas Book Festival in 2021 and 2022, and she can't wait to see what the future holds.