No Wish is a Wasted One
When I first saw a shooting star,
I was eight
And with my father.
I asked if my wish would come true,
And he told me
That other people
May be wishing on the same star,
And theirs could be granted over mine.
But wish anyway, he said.
Hope anyway.
No wish is a wasted one.
When I next saw a shooting star,
I was nineteen
And with my friends.
I did not ask if my wish would come true,
Because I did not want to know
If other people were wishing on the same star
With theirs being granted over mine.
I just wished anyway.
Just hoped anyway.
No wish is a wasted one
If there’s even a chance it could come true.
Description
The central feeling behind this poem is hope. In difficult situations, we sometimes don’t see a point in wishing for the things we want because we believe they won’t come true. I feel that way at times too, but I try to remember the advice my dad gave me many years ago: in life, you never know what might happen, so keep wishing and keep hoping. There’s always a chance, no matter how small, that it will work out for you.
About the Artist
Amanda Schreiber, Bucks County
Published: May 28, 2021