They told me I was something rare,
So bright, so gifted, beyond compare.
I doubted once, but soon believed,
Each word a net where I was weaved.
Their kindest words became a lie,
A fleeting truth that passed me by.
Their voices stirred my hope so strong,
Yet all along, their truth felt wrong.
Like an old oak leaning low,
My time would come, my roots let go.
They say “it’s small,” “you’ll heal, you’ll deal,”
But raw as it is, my feelings are real.
Sadness burns where hope once stayed,
A lively fire so quickly swayed.
They tell me “you’ll be fine someday,”
And maybe they’re right — but not today.
I had it easy, liked it that way,
But maybe it’s time for change to stay.
We never learn how to rise at all,
If we’ve never stumbled, if we never fall.
I’ve had never stumbled, never tried,
I was just coasting on the easy tide.
I knew I would soon struggle, and when that time came I longed for support,
Not a simple “chin up” sport.
“You’ll get the hang of it,” they say,
“It’s part of growing up — you’ll be okay.”
They call it drama, they call it phase,
But I still feel lost in trapped in a cage
When will they see, when will they say,
That I, too, get to feel this way?
Harper Swan
Grade: 10 / Sec. IV
Bishop Carroll High School
Calgary, AB
“I wrote Falter during my transition into high school, when the confidence I had carried for years began to crack. Growing up, I was often told that I was talented and that success would come easily to me. Over time, those words shaped my expectations, even though a part of me always feared they wouldn’t last. When I entered high school, I faced rejection and struggle for the first time. I didn’t make teams I believed I would, and goals I had assumed were within reach suddenly weren’t. What hurt most wasn’t the failure itself, but how quickly my feelings were minimized. Well-meaning reassurances like “it’s not a big deal” or comparisons to others’ struggles left me feeling unheard. This poem explores what it means to falter for the first time, to realize that struggle is a necessary part of growth, but that pain still deserves to be acknowledged. Falter is about learning that even when hardship is temporary, the emotions it creates are real and worthy of space.”
Bio
Harper Swan is a Grade 10 student born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. She enjoys playing badminton, skiing, and spending time with friends and family. She began writing poetry to capture the quiet moments of everyday life. Her writing often reflects on identity, personal growth, and everyday experiences.