Dear Younger Selves

By Khalelia Ahmad

“To all the girls with first loves, to the ones  

who are yet to know it, be humbled in love, 

He should make more effort, but take  

initiative anyway, ignore what society says, 

Forget your friend’s advice, there is no  

right way, there is only your way. 

Don’t make the same mistake, thinking if  

he wanted he would, although it’s so true, 

If you love him, don’t let him forget you  

for life is too short to lose true love, 

Time is too quick to already have the one  

who got away, it’s too soon and too late. 

Make the call, plan the time and place, or  

send the text, before the digits get erased, 

There’s no time left to wait cause longing  

and yearning is just sugar-coated pain, 

Waste away your savings to get on the next  

plane, I wish I did more, do it in my place. 

Do what I didn’t, girls should be courted  

but we’re forced to chase and lose anyway, 

All we fawn about in love, we watch slowly  

die, flames get small as the air gets cold, 

And so I plead that you try, for the best  

thing you could ever experience in this life. 

To all the girls with first loves, or ones yet  

to come, I beg you to sprint from goodbye, 

Before it beats you to the finish line, we  

only get first love one time, so try, for me, 

For you, for him, make everything worth it  

as if you only had one more night to say... 

I love you, for all of time, 

And for the rest of my life.” 

By Khalelia Ahmad