Dress

sometimes the dress feels like a soft breath

a quiet hope wrapped in fabric

that touches my skin like a secret i’m afraid to speak aloud

it’s the way light moves when i twirl

the way i feel seen without saying a word

but also fragile

like i’m holding something precious

and maybe breaking at the edges

other times the suit feels like a shield

strong and steady

like i’m putting on a voice

a body armor made of sharp lines and silent courage

it says i belong here

even when my heart wants to run

and still

it doesn’t hide the parts of me that tremble beneath the surface

sometimes i wonder if it matters at all

the clothes i choose

if the world will ever stop asking questions

or trying to put me in boxes

when all i want

is to be held

accepted

for every piece

soft and hard

loud and quiet

in dresses and suits

and everything in between

the mirror shows me a thousand versions

none of them perfect

all of them me

and maybe that is enough

to find peace

to find home

in the way i wear myself today

and every day after