fledgling

Thank you me,  For bearing with every bit of pain That I have inflicted on you. I know I haven’t been kind enough with you. I fought and wrestled, When in actuality, you were just scared and shivering And all you needed was an embrace and forgiveness. In many moments of frustration, it felt easy To give in and settle in the void, And let lies flood my head about  how I wasn’t being hard enough with you. It fills me with shame and regret When I think of how I let myself  Compare you to just hours of productivity, Checked off to-do lists and perfect grades. I failed to see you as you were - A human being with heart and soul, And a body that needed love and rest. Thank you Body, For serving me all these years, And housing my soul safely. Thank you, Heart, For thinking about those who root for you, Every time you wanted to give up on yourself. Thank you for all that you have done, And continue to do for me. I promise to protect and care for you, And learn not to abuse you for a race. Becau

  Sixteen. The year of fancies, they say. The time in life when  the night is still young and the craving of thrill, triumph and connection gets insatiable every day. May I make more mistakes, Learn from them, or if I stumble again, Remember to diligently save them in my stash For stories to be lovingly narrated and laughed over  When wrinkles shroud my being. May this year be the one In which I shred and burn every layer of comfort And plunge into unfamiliar territory And find comfort in being a novice, While changing, pushing and expanding My definition. Scribble, overwrite, erase  But make every scribble, every verse as imperfect, Mine and only mine. May this year be the one  To heal many wounds still open, To answer many troubling questions, And come to terms with the Overwhelming reality that I am. May this year be the one In which I learn to love myself deeply, Passionately, through every fiber of my being, And crack open every mould, mask, layer, That forced the vast stretches o