My life, defined by a roller coaster of trials and tribulationsLike the prisoner, thrown in a lion’s pit, unprotected and vulnerableImbroglio in a maze of hardships and adversityClouded by the “fatal prejudice” of humanity. Dragged and chained by societyTorn down and trampled onDebilitated legs and crushed faith Raptured and stuck in an abyssLike a lone fruit on a withering treeOr a singular flower on prairie. Stranded on a desolate island-I found light,angels,Flowers.I found inspiration.I found the women in my life: My mother, my teachers, my friends.The bonds I’ve created throughout my journey.They have molded and influenced me. Who I am today and the person I strive to be Because of them. My mentors, my guides, my luminosity. Through the darkest days,They are willows, blooming in luxuriant opulence. Without them, I would be stranded, lost, and afraid.Their beauty and radiance, a compass through many storms My Mother, my birthgiver, my soul.Teaches me the rights from wrongs, the lefts from rights, and the ups from the downs. By my side, through weariness and sickness.Grasping me through every tear that menaces my body.Who holds my hand tight and loves me unconditionally.My Mother, a rose-- the divinity of beauty.      My Sister, my Grandmother, my Aunt.My companions through my darkest, unlit nights.Have seen my first steps, my first movement, my first words:Fights, arguments, and conversations have tested our relationship.Yet, our love expressed is unconditional.My pride, my joy, my reason to wake up.Their beautiful faces luminate my life.My Sister, My Grandmother, My Aunt--my gratification. My Teachers, my guides, my “light out of the cave.”From infancy to the peak of puberty,My writings, my readings, my math, my sciences, All taught by beautiful, wise women.Without them, I would be lost in this cavernous world.Who was there for every test I completed, for every step I took, for every dream I dreamt?My teachers, my coaches-- knowledge beyond words.  My Friends-powerful women-the meaning of true friendshipEver since I was a flower bud waiting to bloom,I’ve been supported, lifted up, and elevated to the man I am today.Throughout my constant struggles, anxiety, and fearsThey have parted the sea for my voyage.Without them, I would be trampled on with hope no more.My friends---kaleidoscopes of lavishness, potency of luminescence.  I, Javier Gomez, have found my inspiration in life.My soul, my light, my happiness.A thank you to all the women who have impacted my life:My inspiration, my motivation, my sparkLike a hedge finally sculpted into an art piece.  Who I am today is all because of you.