Accents of Pink

by Jessica Ebersole

I wrote the following poem in 2014 about my favorite color and how that has been woven into my life over the years. I still like pink but I am more drawn to the oranges and purples now. I hope that you are inspired and encouraged by these words.

Accents of Pink

 

On a clear March day,

as the sun pushed over the horizon,

I pushed breath out of my lungs,

my lips went

from a blue tint

to pink

fighting for life

at a mere 1 lbs. 7 ounces

 

Years later,

Pink bows adorned

my wispy hair

as I struggled to

speak and to force my body

onto wobbly legs

ready to see the world around me

 

Pink casts hugged my legs

and my toes matched

after surgically cutting into my tendons and muscles

to have my time walking like a ballerina

come to an end

 

The smell of fresh pencils and a new pink folder

signaled the first day of the worst four years of my life:

high school

I fought through those years

and with diploma in hand

looked ahead to more promising times

 

My new college dorm room

still remained pink

even after all those years

and I entered college a girl

and I graduated two years ago

as a woman

 

Pink is still constant

but my life has changed

I came out a fighter

and I will continue to fight

for all the opportunities

in my path

 

Jessica Ebersole is a twenty-something who lives in Chicago and explores life through the eyes of someone with a disability. Jessica has cerebral palsy but she does not let that stop her. She spends her days at a children’s museum and enjoys serving the community in various ways. She loves spending time with family, connecting with friends and photography.