The poignant haiku "Bubbles" by Tara Troiano beautifully and simply describes the pain of growing up, without being overdone and filled with angst. She writes, "I used to live in/a bubble, unaware yet/blissful. Now I've popped." It is this simple metaphor, comparing being in a bubble to being innocent, that truly spoke to me.

I was deeply affected by this poem. Other poets tend to rely on extravagant phrasing and long words to get across a point. While that can be beautiful in its own right, it takes skill to condense such a complex idea as coming of age into 17 syllables. Ms. Troiano does that masterfully. Not only do I appreciate the author's skill, though, but her idea is one that I can relate to on a personal level. I, too, have longed to be an innocent child, free of knowledge and responsibility. The author captures the idea of blissful ignorance in a powerful way. The imagery allowed me to vividly picture a serenely floating bubble, which I believe perfectly illustrated innocence. "Bubbles" artfully handled complex feelings and ideas without being overdone, and that was what made it so beautiful.