LEVITATE

After I read “Seven Days of Forever” by Nikita Fishman I immediately wanted to read it again. I knew this poem needed to be read by others because it left such a profound emotional impact on me and how I see the world. I deeply admired how Fishman used imagery to display the passing of time (a week) in just seven stanzas and still make a massive impact on the readers. I also loved the repetition of “I have __ more days,” which acted as a reminder that time was dwindling with the very little time the speaker had left. 

Fishman writes: “Flashing your body smile, I couldn’t help but notice, it wasn’t as radiant as before, perhaps a bit of sadness.” Here, her strong diction helps readers envision the speaker’s loved one’s smile, and the significance of mentioning that it wasn’t their usual smile deepens the emotional impact of the fact that they know that time is dwindling. 

 This poem is about the speaker being told they only have a week to live and how they spent their last days, but it is so much more. Each line in the poem has emotional weight and a purpose to play for the poem as a whole. “Seven Days of Forever” made me realize the fragility of time and how you shouldn’t waste it but rather to spend it with the people you love.

Maya Hernández, Contributing Poetry Editor & Social Media Team Lead