What have you given your youth to do?

So. That phrase has been in my head lately. Dr. Reist asked the question is class one evening. Right now I feel like I am giving my youth to grad school. It's difficult and requires lots and lots of work and most of my time. Often I find myself questioning if scientific research is what I really want. Also I question my competency. But lately my answer has been "You can freaking do this. and more than that...you want to." I've been trying to find the poetry in my days:

"If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches; for the Creator, there is no poverty." - Rilke Maria Rainer

Life is magical and full of whimsy. but sometimes you have to look for it. On a related notes: I bought some watercolors the other day, so keep an eye out, I hope to post some paintings soon. Also, I am trying to write more poems. I've been going through my journals and I mostly have short lines. Nothing very solid. Here are a few lines I like:

Half-moons on slender fingers drumming a dream into the sidewalk, sewing a sleeping bed, tapping a copper-tune. drinking a good-night-draught, weeping a blessed thought. give me a mountain dream a morning kiss a silver child. paint for me a noisy room, a misty land, a growing vine.

I haven't worn a ring on my hand
for days now.
And you've been cold in your grave
for months now
months and months and months
and now just now
I feel as if I'm in mine.

I feel like that could be in a story. A story that starts "It's just going to be tragic. And that's it. Absolutely"

Speak softly
dream in color
love like a song

sigh. so. Like I said. Those are just lines I like. Hopefully I will synthesize some of them into a real live poem someday soon. What are you giving your youth to do? Where's the whimsy, the magic, the poetry in your days?