When I was younger,
I learned to read and write.
It was exciting!
But, now, I hate words,
because they aren’t enough.
I’m real and alive,
yet I feel my essence escapes me
because
I don’t have the right words.
What does it mean to really understand?
We talk with each other and we laugh
but
How do you make sense of me?
I don’t make sense of myself, you see,
there aren’t enough words to explain.
I am Quinn!
Or maybe, I am…
A long time ago,
we met.
But it was different.
We didn’t use word to talk,
and we understood.
Words are fixed on the page they’re printed.
Words don’t twinkle when they smile at me.
I’m older now, still growing— forever
looking for ways to express myself beyond the words I use
Maybe tomorrow we will look up together.
Bio:
I was born and raised in Ottawa, ON. I am Irish-Canadian and Jamaican. I am graduating in May 2024 with an Honours in Sociology, minor in Community Engaged-Learning with a certificate in Theatre Studies. I am passionate about arts-based education, and I love Improv. I like to express myself creatively with the many mediums that I am presented with. Sometimes, I feel like I do not have the right words to express myself, but I think it is because the feeling is bigger than me.
Article submitted by Quinn Waylaing
