Acceptance

The Road that Bends

At the crossroads, we pause. Not because we cannot see the way forward (We were never blind to what lies ahead), But because once we step around the bend, There is no way to wistfully peer over our shoulders For that fleeting trace of what could have been. Oh, dear soul, there is pain inContinue reading “The Road that Bends”

Unraveled but still standing, Off-kilter but determined, We pull ourselves from the depths Like warriors with one last breath, Truth illuminating our shadowed minds With both the sting and the promise of one more day. We can no longer remain stagnant Now that we see, now that we know No avoiding realities in broad daylightContinue reading “Acceptance”

Receiving

For so long, I lurked on the outside of human experience Observing but never stepping inside, a bystander looking in So afraid the good would never last, I could not welcome its light Without the fear of losing joy before it even materialized. Now, after a slow recovery from the depths of self-deprivation, Whether anContinue reading “Receiving”

Sailing

The summer is slowly turning into the golden days before autumn Longer days shorten like quicksand, and I have missed them all Absorbed in the rush of demands and the tide of expectations Waiting for the unrest to finally rest; for the paper walls to fall. So much time sifted through the hourglass of aContinue reading “Sailing”

Pulled

When I close my eyes, For a moment I am transported Away from the tug-of-war of life Breaking free from the pull to give And give and give until I am nothing But a vessel of snatched offerings. Dear soul, the only peace I know, Is when I lie awake blissfully dreaming Of what itContinue reading “Pulled”

When Love Finds its Way In

When loves finds its way in, it never leaves me My heart is protected by barbed wire and steel A walled-up structure surrounded by neon signs “Keep out,” “No service,” “Private property,” “No trespassing,” And yet, you found a way through, gently and true. I trust in the power of warmth that melts away defensesContinue reading “When Love Finds its Way In”

Falling Together

I am seeing life in sharp, magnified detail The whys and hows in fully focused display And it stings, dear soul, it stings, I am falling together. I am grieving a thousand losses for the first time A pain like no other I have ever felt before, And it hurts, dear soul, it hurts, IContinue reading “Falling Together”

I Know

I know what happens next, But let me linger here a moment longer Breathe in the sweet relief of rosy dreams While they are still floating around my consciousness. I know I must face inevitable change, But only after I have searched a little bit longer For the last remaining granules of hope on theContinue reading “I Know”

Leaning Toward

There is a festering wound in me That I must confront, that I must see But it’s as if my mind is always running To escape the lurking presence of sorrow, As if it were a monster, always prowling, Seeking to disarm my carefully composed resolve To face the unbearable without truly breaking. I don’tContinue reading “Leaning Toward”

Chapters

There are chapters of life that feel like summer evenings Some that linger like the never-ending chill of winter Others that transition us like autumn to the next phase Whirlwind chapters that spring upon us in fleeting bursts, All offering new insights, reinforcing the old Some forever imprinted onto the chambers of our hearts OthersContinue reading “Chapters”