Broken

In the movie,
the villain says
the broken are the beautiful.

I was born broken,
at least, I don't remember being
anything but

--damaged, missing parts
that all the others
seemed to have.

Always saying the wrong thing,
doing the wrong thing,
committing the unforgivable sins

of overwhelming intensity
and feeling too much.
But it's quiet tonight.

The dog chews on her bone
beside me on the bed.
I'm completely alone,

but strangely,
it doesn't hurt
to be alone anymore.

Loneliness is still within me.
It used to rage like a storm.
Now it settles over my body

soft and warm
and comforting
as a blanket.