A Farewell

I’ve stopped sweeping myself
under this dirty rug.
To lay in debris day after day
is to snuff out every good thing
that I am.

I was holding on to so much
trauma that I covered myself
with prickly fibers to keep others
from coming in.

I walled off the best parts
and truly lost the essence
of my tender, sweet child.
I despaired in ever experiencing
her again, so set about a new course
that felt as though I had stretched
myself into someone else’s skin.

The fit was too tight, choking
me, restricting movement, preventing
true love and compassion from
blossoming into being.

I watched with horror as my spirit died.

Enough is enough.
I’m stepping out of this ill-fitting
suit, leaving behind grief
over traumatic moments
which cannot be changed.

Finding true forgiveness
with the past has restored my spirit.