June 12th, 2020

Childhood by Heaven Velez

We are planted so curious of this large world
Our tiny sticky hands reach to life
No hesitation in our movements
Only concerned on conquering the world
One root at a time.

We grew from a seed to sprout
And Slowly we gained flowers
Following after parents and elder siblings
Trying with all our might
To be what they are and aren't
All at the same time.

We became so anxious as the seasons changed
Worried about being in the lurid stage lights
Critics noticed our leafs withering
Stress building
Paranoia devouring

We forget how fearless we once were
No longer curious about the world
But, what comes after it
As the exhaustion your leaves being mangled
By careless pedestrians
You become callous to the disarray of what the world is.

Bitter frost begins to invade our lips
Fragile shivers force an army of goosebumps to arise
Chilling air makes us barren
Look up.
Notice the snow flakes tumbling sophisticating on our skin
Once again we embrace life.



We become regal trees
Learning to accept all of the seasons of life
Realizing you clung on to pain that held you back
Looking back you realize
How hazy life was as a little seedling
Memory fades like the gentle wind in spring
Childhood is a dream.

Heaven Velez , a sixteen-year-old student at the Bronx Studio School for Writers and Artists, is passionate about expressing herself through art. Though Heaven wants to be a veterinarian when she's older, she has always been fascinated by art. She wishes that her writing evokes powerful emotions out of her readers, much like how she feels while witnessing art. Heaven decided to submit to Crossed Paths because she found that the magazine was a great outlet to share her art and become more confident in her abilities as a writer. 

"Childhood" is about discovering one's identity while battling the pressures of growing up, and finally accepting that you are flawed and that your imperfections make you human. Heaven felt herself go through this process, and she learned that childhood is priceless and that one shouldn't be obsessed with becoming someone else or perfect.