This is my “That Was I” poem that I did for my English 4 class based on the one by Ted Koosier. This is the final draft of the poem and I like it a lot. I think the circular feel that it has from the beginning to the end.
I was that little girl you saw in the front yard of the light blue house,
playing with chalk, covered with dustings of pink and purple
on the driveway with neighbors, friends, and family
I was the kid you saw climbing up the castle playground at Trinity,
calling “you’re it!” or “you’ll never catch me!”
I would glance over at Lincoln Lutheran, hoping that someday
I would be a part of that community that always seemed to be
close knit and welcoming. Yes, that was I.
And that was I, the middle schooler talking to her friends
in the sunny courtyard, oh so happy to finally be here
That was I, the girl who loved volleyball and looked forward
to practice every day, the girl who would peer in the big gym at all
the high schoolers, longing to play with that varsity team.
I was the girl who tried to make the most out of every moment
with her friends and family. Yes, that was I.
And that was I, the girl trying to figure out her life.
And now I’m a senior, knowing that in just 12 months I will
be out of this place, onto bigger and better things
I was the girl that was now competing on that varsity team,
wishing that there would be one more practice, one more game,
one more giant uproar from the student section after a big rally
That was I, the one who looked over towards Trinity
at the kids that I know better than I would’ve imagined playing at recess,
wanting to go be a kid just one more time. Yes, that was I.