December 11

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Our poet writes: “My name is Sofia Swan, and I’m a 19-year-old student from Saugus, Massachusetts, currently attending Endicott College. I wouldn’t call myself a poet, but writing has given me a new way to explore my thoughts and emotions. Unspoken Weight is a poem about noticing the struggles in others and recognizing how trust and connection can feel both fragile and transformative. It’s a reflection on how we carry emotions and experiences, often without words, and how vulnerability can lead to deeper understanding. Writing this poem allowed me to put those feelings into a form I hope others can connect with.”

Unspoken Weight

Sofia Swan

I looked into his eyes,
which were far larger than mine,
calling to places I’ve never been.

In them, I saw the weight you carry,
the quiet storms hidden inside,
and though my heart felt tired and worn,
it swelled, searching and hoping.

How easy it is to give and care,
to shield the soul from pain and doubt,
to believe in dreams, hold onto scars,
filling the emptiness with passing words.

Trust felt fragile,
something distant, hard to reach,
but in this view, the words turned to air
and fears became a softer truth.

I want to pour myself out completely,
to listen without a second thought,
to give and take trust as it is, raw,
to let pieces of me float freely,
watch them drift into open minds.

Falling into shadows of feelings too deep,
too soft, too careful to bear,
there’s beauty in this gentle heart,
letting my thoughts reach out to others,
without words, without thinking,
an urge to love beyond my pride.

 — Sofia Swan

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To have your work considered for the Lyrical send it to:
Doug Holder, 25 School St.; Somerville, MA 02143
dougholder@post.harvard.edu