There’s more than one to fly -

Is a lesson I learned from your smile,

For although your wings were cold and tired

You’d still flap them once in a while.

Your feet remained stuck to the dusty earth

But your soul ran free with the wind

Catching the leftover wisp of the clouds

Before coming back down again.

So I aim to abandon my fears on the ground

And live my best dreams in the sky,

Because heights are just tomorrow’s lows

And you don’t need wings to fly.

My name is Allison Arinaga and I’m a graduate student at Northwestern who is slowly but surely working towards my PhD in Chemistry. In my spare time I enjoy reading fiction, learning languages, and being part of the Evanston community. Although being separated from my loved ones during the pandemic has been difficult, I’ve tried to stay focused on the lessons they have taught me – namely that time spent in unanticipated or unideal ways doesn’t have to be time wasted. I hope this message shines through in my poetry.