I hope the end of every year
Will be followed by happiness

I hope the weakest dog will find a family
Of five people
And one more dog, so the dog isn’t lonely
The second dog is big, very fluffy
Playful
They become really good friends

I hope the fiercest storms bring rainbows
To part the storm:
A never-ending rainbow

I hope every empty room will eventually have
A lamp that can brighten
A lamp with flowers on it

I hope gunfire in the distance is just thunder
Striking the tree
An evergreen tree
An evergreen tree that is 24 years old

I hope when life passes there is a new life for me to call home
The first thing I would do in a new life is get a dog
A Pomeranian
Named Pom-Pom

I hope the angriest person in me will learn to find calmness
Calm like a white butterfly
In a sea of bees

I hope the loneliest person in me will discover a friend
Imaginary or real
It doesn’t matter

I hope the most lighthearted person in me will find some structure
Structure like a sturdy bridge
From fear to hope

I hope I will someday be able to walk that bridge
I would not look down
I would look straight forward
I might even bring my dog

This poem is published in The World in Me, a compilation of original poetry written by young people ages 8 – 17 who stayed with their families in housing at Solid Ground’s Broadview Emergency Shelter & Transitional Housing for women and children. The young authors who contributed to The World in Me are not identified by their real names, and some details have been changed to protect the privacy and confidentiality of them and their families. The authors retain copyrights on their individual works.