Coming Of Age In Appalachia Poem by March Nicks

In the quiet dawn, where mist drapes the hills,
a girl stands at the edge of the woods,
breathes in the earth, the stories woven into the soil.
She gathers the whispers of elders,
the weight of history resting on her shoulders.

Days spill into each other,
marked by the rhythm of seasons,
the pulse of the river,
teaching her of patience,
of flowing through the bends and turns of life.

In fields wild with flowers, she explores,
each bloom a lesson in resilience,
the way beauty thrives amidst struggle.
She learns to navigate shadows,
to find strength in the quiet moments,
to rise like the sun after the storm.

With hands stained from labor,
she helps her family,
feels the warmth of community,
the bonds that hold them together,
as laughter echoes through the valleys,
and love is woven into every shared meal.

At twilight, she stands on the porch,
watching the fireflies dance,
a flicker of hope in the night.
She feels the pull of the world beyond the mountains,
but her heart is rooted here,
in the stories, the struggles,
in the spirit of the land.

In this sacred place, she discovers herself,
not just a girl, but a force,
capable of dreams, of change,
ready to embrace the journey ahead,
with the mountains as her witness,
and the stars as her guide.