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Workshop > Challenge > Self-acceptance
Apr 29
poem 2 comments
irishjayne

Self-acceptance

It crept up so slowly I could barely hear its hollowed footsteps. It crept up
soft as April creeps up
when you can barely tell the beginning of spring
from the end of autumn.

I didn’t always have words. Now I can reach a bucket down inside my chest,
draw up pails full of them, but then
I didn’t know the words for the curve of her neck is so smooth
her hair makes my skin feel on fire
her smile makes me want to hold her hand.


Didn’t have the words for
shouldn’t tell your friends this
to say
it’s not my job to correct the blunders of every family member
to respond to
was he a nice boy?
when I went on a date with a girl.

So now April has crept up, and
the sun warm on my skin almost makes me miss winter, makes me miss
not having to justify my existence
to chirping birds, woodpeckers hammering my house.

Today I know the words
you are not broken any more than a crocus just beginning to bloom is broken,
every evening the day lasts a little longer
pushing off that inevitable darkness
(winter was so, so dark)

and maybe spring is where I’m supposed to be.

Today I sit outside and offer my unanswered questions to the ever-shining sun
let the final rays caress my skin,
appreciate whatever joy I am allowed to lay my hands on.
 
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Posted: 04.29.19

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Discussion

Comments

  1. Love to write
    May 01, 2019

    I really really love the way you weave your inner thoughts into this poem, it's so graceful and adds so much depth. There are so many feelings and ideas happening here, you make it feel as if I'm reading a story.

    I love this poem!!

    Life is not a paragraph.

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  1. angelaweasley
    May 01, 2019

    This is truly beautiful, this exemplifies everything an amazing activist poem should be. Your vulnerability and the repetitiveness of April really hit me hard.
    Thank you so much for contributing!

    -aw

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