• Home
  • About
  • Reflections
  • Poetry
    • My Poems
    • Guest Poets
    • Selected Poems
    • Classic Poets
    • Classic Love Poems
    • Zen Poetry, Haiku, and Wisdom
  • Essays
  • Inspiration
    • Love
    • Mandalas and More
    • Native Voices
    • Petals of Sunshine
    • Positive Reinforcement
    • Videos to Inspire and Motivate
  • Quotes
    • Flowers and Gardens
    • Native American Wisdom
    • Peaceful Thoughts
  • Guestbook
  • Sitemap

Inspiration for the Spirit

A lovely place to wander for poetry and inspiration to soothe the soul

Home ▷ Selected Poems ▷ The Girl I Used to Be

The Girl I Used to Be

by Rowena K. Lewis

"Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose" by John Singer Sargent, oil on canvas, 1885She came tonight as I sat alone,
The girl I used to be,
And she gazed at me with her earnest eyes,
And questioned reproachfully,
Have you forgotten the many plans,
And hopes I had for you?
The great career, the splendid fame,
All the wonderful things to do?
Where is the mansion of stately height,
With all of its gardens rare?
The silken robes that I dreamed for you,
And the shining jewels in your hair?
And as she spoke, I was very sad,
For I wanted her pleased with me,
This slender girl from the shadowy past,
The girl I used to be.

So gently rising,
I took her hand and guided her up the stairs,
Where peacefully sleeping,
My babies lay, innocent, sweet and fair,
And I told her that these are my only gems,
And precious they are to me,
That silken robe is my motherhood,
Of costly simplicity,
And my mansion of stately height is love,
And the only career I know,
Is serving each day in these sheltered walls,
The dear ones who come and go,
And as I spoke to my shadowy guest,
She smiled through her tears at me,
And I saw the woman that I am now,
Pleased the girl that I used to be!

Copyright © 2001 Rowena K. Lewis • All rights reserved.
Artwork by Patricia Petro.

You might also like

Didgeridoo

Mount Holyoke Commencement Speech

Sincere Meditations

Coming Home To Myself

Filed under loving yourself, motherhood.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

The Poetry Pages

My Poems
Guest Poets
Selected Poems
Classic Poets
Classic Love Poems
Zen Poetry, Haiku, and Wisdom

Featured Poem

be happy

Help Yourself to Happiness

by Helen Steiner Rice

Everybody, everywhere seeks happiness, it's true, But finding it and keeping it seem difficult to do. Difficult because we think that happiness is found Only in the places where wealth and fame ... Read more

Random Poems

Explore and Enjoy

aging anger autumn being female cancer children comfort & compassion death divorce empty nest family father flowers & gardens friends & friendship grief & sadness happiness hope & optimism illness inner peace inspiring life & living loneliness love love lost loving yourself mandala marriage mindful living mother motherhood music Native American nature people places poetry & writing positive attitude quotes relationships sex & sexuality simplicity solitude spirit spring winter

Looking for a specific poet or author?

Inspiration for the Spirit EST 2002 • Copyright © 2025 Patricia Petro • LOGIN

»
«