Poem: Pencil Ode

a pencil taught me to be kind.

it's graphite showed me to move softly across the sheet,

it taught me to observe, reflect and record my human mind.

as I look back, it's mark was steady but not always neat,

it's eraser taught me self compassion in my mistakes,

for even if my answer is wrong,

it taught me it's okay to take the chance and partake.

I showed up and that makes me strong.