The Path I Chose

The path I chose is hard
I am constantly reminded of that
By the dark circles under my eyes
By the weary smile on my face
By the tired strides of my feet
By the teary nights I have
By the little money in my account

The path I chose is not paved with diamonds.
I am constantly reminded of that.
By the hours I have to put in.
By many rejection letters
By the sobs, I have to swallow
By the amount of coffee I chug
By the envy, I have to push back.

The path I chose is not smooth
But I am also grateful for it
Because it keeps me grounded
A dream isn’t some sparkly diamond
There is no shortcut
So I’m here for the long haul.

Akanni Aramide