Contributor: Emily Garcia

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Blind as the bright blue clear July sky
with no worries or clouds in sight,
I thought nothing could go wrong.

These were the happy days--
sleeping, sparring, singing,
all fueled by the bright fiery sun of happiness.

All the lonely people always playing,
whose stories I grew up with,
whose sadness was written in songs that I couldn’t understand.

But I would soon learn, as an unforgiving cloud stole the sun
and everything was painted gray and cold.
So, the gray I became

and the cold I radiated
as rain clouds began to multiply,
and crowded the skies like my mind:

Who was I without the sun,
Who was I without the light,
Who was I without the warmth?

These were the desperate days--
over-thinking, draining, waiting,
wondering if the sun would ever return

rain began to fall from my eyes,
covering everything in sight.
The weight in my heart grasped the air in my lungs.

I became the endless frustration
of the angry purple skies
illuminated by reckless, impulsive lightning,

but suddenly thunder declared,
Your sun will soon come to rise
Once darkness disappears.

So I closed my eyes
and dreamt of my sun
at the reach of my fingertips.

and I dreamt of all the lonely people.
There were fools sitting on a hill,
content with being misunderstood.

There were Eleanor Rigbys in their imaginary worlds,
deserving more than the days they spent
lost without a place to belong.

I transformed into the deep mellow blue of the night
and the beaming stars calmly winked and assured me that,
Everything would be alright.

These were the hopeful days--
obtaining, overcoming, optimistic
knowing the sun was about to rise.

Hours, days, and months
did I spend in quiet, peaceful slumber,
remembering all the lonely people and hoping that when I awaken

I would be the soft blue
that embraces the sun and greets the morning
with the hope of the tomorrow.


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Emily Garcia lived through childhood hoping she’d one day impress Simon Cowell and win American Idol. However, instead of on the stage, you could find her at her happiest today when she’s amongst the audience watching her favorite live bands. She finds solace in the possible existence of aliens and a parallel universe where English subtitles aren’t necessary.