The Road Ahead: A Poem by Concetta Pipia

I leave, but your shadow clings to me,
a flame at my back that will not fade.
The door shuts, but the air still carries
the scent of your bread, of yesterday’s life.

The house is quiet, heavy with your absence,
as if even the walls weep for me.
The road before me is dust and sun,
but I walk through it, bare and bold,
feeling the weight of every step,
the burden of leaving your warmth behind.

But in the distance, the sky calls,
with colors I have not yet tasted.
My heart, though reluctant, leaps forward,
for the unknown is a lover,
pulling me toward its bright promise.

I leave your arms,
which once held me like the earth holds rain,
but the sky above is endless,
and there, I will be reborn.

The road twists, but I do not hesitate,
knowing I carry you with me,
tucked deep inside,
where even you cannot follow,
yet you remain, forever mine.