What Remains by Diego Gonzalez

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About The Author

Hi there! My name is Diego Gonzalez, and I am a biology major at UTRGV, aspiring to become an oncologist. Although my academic interests lie in the science, I also enjoy exploring writing through poetry. My writing takes inspiration from a friend of mine, who encouraged me to take up poetry. The inspiration behind my poems comes from the uncertainty of change. Specifically, it comes from the idea that we rarely recognize the significance of a moment while we are living through it, and that some things only reveal their meaning once they have passed. Outside of writing, I enjoy playing guitar, cooking, and spending time with friends. Through this collection, I hope readers can find their own interpretations within my words and perhaps feel inspired to take up poetry themselves.

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Midnight

Tick 1 

So many colors to see, 

yet a particular shade of red stands out 

Tock 2 

The green trees,

the blue sky,

the yellow flowers,

yet red is all that stands out?

Tick 3

I walk,

it’s not my favorite color 

Yet what about it compels me?

Tock 4 

I’ve never once stopped to look at the color red.

I had never noticed it stands so bright, 

with that overwhelming confidence 

Tick 5 

As I look closer, 

I notice other traits of the color red

Tock 6 

It feels like all I can think about is red,

I look at the trees, 

the sky, 

the flowers 

all red.

Tick 7 

Were they always red? 

Do they see red? 

Tock 8 

What do they see? 

Do they not see red?

Tick 9 

All I want is red. 

Do they see red? 

Tock 10 

The red glows ever brighter 

for them however,

Tick 11 

the red has faded. 

Tock 12 

It’s 12 now,

the clock will strike again, 

but never this 12.

Tick 1 

The clock started over, 

but I want the red back

Tock 2 

However, the grass is still green,

the sky is still blue, 

the flowers still yellow 

Tick 3 

Again. 

I search the grass,

the sky, 

the flowers, 

nothing. 

Tock 4 

Now that I look again,

the sky, 

it has many shades of blue

the trees, 

they’re all different, 

the flowers,

they’re not only yellow but purple, pink and orange

Tick 5 

Why is it I never noticed? 

Was all I knew red? 

Tock 6

That can’t be possible. 

I never noticed red before, 

so why had I never noticed the other colors

Tick 7 

By removing red, 

did another color take its place,

Tock 8

or were there always other colors? 

Tick 9 

I try one last time to search for red,

Tock 10 

I see now,

there are even shades of green, yellow, purple, orange, 

but I don’t see red 

Tick 11

and that’s okay 

Tock 12 

it’s once again twelve, yet 

the red no longer glows as it did 

I look up, 

the sky is blue. 

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A Star

Like any day

I grab my food

A receipt outlines the day

August 17th 

11:43 AM

A paper depicts my day

yet, It gets crumpled up and stuffed away

My pocket, its sanctuary

As my Sun accompanies me 

I feel a grin across my face

Its glow penetrates through windows

and somehow even walls

Its smile so bright

It outshines the burning sun

Turning to a star in the night sky

When the sun sets

I can no longer see it 

But I have the receipt 

I unfold it,

Hoping the ink 

Might unfold the day with it 

August 17th

11:43 AM

It is still there,

But it's not the same

Because I thought keeping it 

Meant I could come back

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A Deceptive Cloud 

Time is eternal

A tree blossoms from a twig

Hopping to bloom into a beautiful sight

And serve a mighty purpose to all that it might 

The sun spans the sky beaming onto the ground

A warmth fills the air, letting the tree grow all around

It grows deep roots that curve and intertwine with the soil

It gradually grows its branches reaching out far,

In the distance, however, it seems clouds seem to coil

But that is of no matter, as it seems as far as a star

Its vast expanse seems to provide comfort 

Bees flutter around

Butterflies, squirrels,

All hover about

Life sprouts, newly found

yet,

Some days 

The wind is too strong

It rips a branch

Some Days

The clouds limit the sun

The tree however

Eventually brings new life

Its saplings sprout about

Yet it seems 

The clouds are now upon it

What once seemed

 too far

Is now here it has caught up to a now old tree

  Why? The darkness it now shrouds the sky

The rain now trickles down, a wind shreds all that it touches

           Yet as the clouds reach the tree a sudden calmness enshrouds it It wishes it could remain forever in this state

Yet,

Time waits for no one

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Where the Key  Fits

We all have a key.

We stumble into doors we wish to open.

Where on our side all we see is a dull world

Before me, however, stands a pearlescent door

Radiating with a certain warmth

Its handle, however, feels cold and icy

I try my key

But it doesn't budge

I stumble into another door,

This one is overgrown with greenery

Low shrubs, with vines shrouding the handle 

Berries that appear appealing,

But I know this one won't work.

Now pacing, 

An unfamiliar crimson door stands before me

Its handle warm to the touch

It brings a sort of comfort,

One that propels me towards it

Upon a closer inspection

There seems to be a glistening keyhole

One that matches my key

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The Key Still Fits

The key turned

As I burst the door open

A radiant glistening crimson light flashed in my eyes

A long corridor with many twists and turns lay in front of me

I wanted to explore them all 

Yet it seemed I knew not where this light would take me 

I followed the light

And it took me to a room where what stood in front of me

Seemed like any normal room at first glance

But as time went on 

I learnt to cherish the small things in this room

I noticed the pink lilies

I noticed the color red flooding the room

I noticed keys shrouded in moonlight

I cherished odd things too

I noticed jars of pickles

I noticed dumb jokes written all over

But even for as much as I noticed and cherished 

The light seemed to fade 

Yet it still glowed with its radiance

I took a look at the door and took a step outside

I once again looked at the keyhole that had once looked unavoidable

The key still fits

Yet, I won't open the door

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