A poem - about reminiscing
Illustration: Jenine Marquez
Sometimes it overwhelms me how many songs there are in the world
So many melodies and harmonies to feel
So many stories to understand
But instead I decide to replay the Jonas Brothers’ “Burnin up”
And allow my body to groove in memorized movements of late night 4th grade sleepovers
Other times my head begins to spin when I realize how many books I haven’t read
So many lives to honor
So many character arcs to learn from
But instead I decide to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the 15th time
And whisper along with Hermione’s ferocity, sinking into the familiar world I fell in love with in 3rd grade
And when I feel too paralyzed to venture into the future
Nostalgia wraps her shawl around my shoulders
Pointing me towards a future that can add to my collection of happiest memories
Reminding me that Nick’s guitar riffs were once a foreign melody to me
And that Hogwarts was a nonexistent realm before I flipped to the first page
So today I plug in my headphones and find my “Nostalgia and Neverland” playlist
Laying down with my stack of Harry Potter books to keep me company
Realizing that sometimes, living in the past can make the mystery of the future
So much sweeter