It's Okay

“IT’S OKAY” Poem & Lyrics by: Judith Mendez-Maldonado -- Lyrics: I am learning to be still And not overextend myself I learned that I’m still learning As I near the threshold of seventy It’s okay to cry It’s okay to fumble It’s okay to sleep in late Or nap in the afternoons It’s okay to be a friend It’s okay to be alone It’s okay to speak my truth To let others know I am hurt It’s okay to be okay It’s okay to still be learning I am still a work in progress Adding new friends to my circle Still surrounded by friends like family I am learning saying no is okay It’s okay to be in therapy And to be vulnerable If it makes you uncomfortable It is still okay It’s okay to be a friend It’s okay to be alone It’s okay to speak my truth To let others know I am hurt It’s okay to be okay It’s okay to still be learning It’s okay to be okay It’s okay to still be learning It’s okay to be still and myself It’s okay to lose some people As I travel on my journey It’s okay to be okay I am still learning that it is Okay to be the real me As I strive toward inner peace As I reach seventy Still learning Still growing Still me -- This poem was created during Educational Alliance’s Poetry in Music workshop series with older New Yorkers in celebration of National Poetry Month. It was later transformed into a song using AI (Suno), with the original text set to music and the artist shaping the musical style to reflect the poem’s emotional tone. This process explored new creative tools and technologies. The piece was featured in the annual CelebratEArts festival, a month-long May exhibition honoring Older Americans Month. The festival celebrates creativity, expression, and connection through the arts. The 2026 theme, "The Power of Belonging," invited reflection on lived experience, the creative process, and the stories that connect us. Poetry is Music was facilitated by Xiomara A. Maldonado. The Artistic Director for CelebratEArts is Cory Michael Herman. Learn more about CelebratEArts at: 14streety.org/celebratearts #PoetryInMusic #MusicWithAI #CelebratEArts