The Golden Shovel (Week 4)

Poem: “Every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” -Whitman 

I stayed up late texting, laughing about every

moment that mattered, even the tiny atom

of our shared secrets that nobody else is belonging

only to, 

us and me, 

trying not to overthink, as

I scroll through old memes, feeling good

even when life feels chaotic, belongs

to the friendships we've made, to

this small bubble we’ve made. You.

Reflection: The word that surprised me most was “atom” because it allowed me to think about tiny, ordinary moments that actually feel memorable. The constraint pushed me to string together normal, every-day experiences ( texts, laughs, homework) in a way that feels sentimental. Whitman’s line became a way to show my connection to the smallest, most everyday details I experience in my life.