What was the first poem that ever struck you?

I used to read a lot of poetry... the simplicity, precision, and imagery of poetry was always much more my style than long prose using 20 pages describing 30 seconds of action (Hemingway, anyone?). Recently, a friend has been going through tough times here in New York, and the first poem that ever struck me and stuck to me came back in a brilliant rush... potent, emmersive, emotional, beautiful... I remember the person who gave it to me, the reason why, and where I kept it for the longest time. Now it's something that I pass on... will they remember who gave it to them and why?

After a while you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t always mean security
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts
and presents aren’t promises
And you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child
And you learn to build all of your roads on today
because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns
if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
that you really are strong
and you really do have worth
And you learn and you learn
with every goodbye you learn.

VERONICA A. SHOFFSTALL
1971