Territory,
hope this is the right place
to rest tonight.
Never know what may come
while living the nocturnal
life.
Owls are the most poised
and genuine creatures.
They fly to their branch
grasping with their claws.
They hoot, they sit peacefully,
and watch as the night passes on.
Stars come and go,
and leaves take their life.
I wonder if Owls are there
to protect us at night.
Forgiving those who disturb our peace,
do they show us how to watch with the
widest yellow eyes?
We are different creatures with different lives.

Territory,
we stand our ground.
The owls fly above us
swooping in the dark.
We know what we have and don't have.
We know what we want and don't want
at night,
let danger,
not be a part
of this night.
If only every predator would be alright
with remaining at their own and leave
the world at their own
territory.

I will never again be in a mental prison.
Happiness is hard to show but a little speck
is reserved in me.
I never knew I was more than the little troublemaker.
I would scream, pout, cry, and run around aimlessly.
They would point, laugh, and say backstabbing things about me.
I thought at such a young age that I was trapped in a cell where
I could never see the rest of the world I was highly unwelcome.
Without the world or anything to lay eyes on I would never change.
My loved one's bailed me out.
I got the hang of not walking solo.
Down the road we traveled, so empty but so many things to see.
Pushing through every hard day at school,
learning from every awkward interaction,
and later coming back to town like a Wrecking Ball.
I am not the one destroying or destroyed.
I prove and they read my word and my commanding presence.
There are many places I belong,
I am now free.

I really couldn’t care less
about the time and day
the cool air or the
howling wolves.

I whisper to myself for
my personal
reassurance. It is
my right to feel comfort
and my way is my
own.

I walk alone all the time.
I have been used to the lonely vibe
since I was old enough to sense I was different.
All I need are the stars in the sky.
I’ll let them be my friends for now.

The strides I take
the paths I go
the pulse that beats after each step.
I don’t bother who will possible hurt me
while walking alone at night.

I can protect myself.
I am a strong courageous woman.
There is no suspicion to my nightly walk
I have no need
to approach anyone.
I can take care of myself
and this is how.

When people see me walk by and laugh at my ticks because
I may whisper, my eyes may roll, or
I tremble,
So what.
I’m walking to where you will never know.
My ticks are a small part of me
and maybe too big
for anyone to understand.
I walk alone for a reason.
So I
can be
the only witness of the strides I take.
My ticks
take some strides for me.
Just walking the humiliation
off and moving forward.
Be fair,
let them laugh, let them stare,
and let me walk alone.
I learned to like it
and I look forward to it
every night.

The thought that brings
a lump in my throat and
paleness to my already fair skin
Is
The words and phrase
Going
To bed
In
Tears.
I did it all the time.
I feel for children who
use their mattress as
their anchor,
the comforter as the
Shield,
and pillows as the
arms of whom they imagine
will come.
Sleeping it off is how I would
forgive and forget
my actions and how they were used
as weapons to
others.
I couldn’t shield due to lack of knowing.
I would be so angry and my own
family cried themselves to sleep
some nights.
Sleepless nights were only helped
by talking to God from the windowpane
and seeing the moon and stars
twinkle along and dance in the dark blue
Sky.
These nights these days I tuck myself in.
Leave my anger to stay with the prior morning
and my dangerous thoughts to hold it
and stop making a merry-go-round
out of my head.
I just lay,
I own my bed.
It is my ship.
I sail wherever I want in my dreams.
I always dreamed of being welcome by others.
I’m always welcome in
my own bed in my own room.

That's great,
though comparison to one thinner and
prettier is not what lifts off the weight.
I may not be skinny but I fit in well whenever
I choose to.
I may not have a bony face but I wear a smile
only because I own it.
My clothes might not involve lace and fitting
but I wear nicer things than anyone else.
My size might not be tiny enough for a man to
pick me up and carry me away.
I may not be quiet and bashful just what boys want
but I am funny, loud, and confident as
****.
So that's great, I am happy for them all.
I look at girls who are younger, thinner, mature,
and wise.
I remember being that age and how I needed someone
to take care of me.
I do that now for myself.
Holding me in my own arms because I know myself better
than anyone else.
I dance in the moonlight alone and I don't beg for a guy like I used to.
I'm secure, I'm grateful, I'm mature,
I have changed.
I'm not rude, I'm not stupid,
I was but am not,
Inferior.

The day is normal though it reminds me of something.
I step outside onto my beautiful lawn.
I walk in the grass with bare feet
As the dew and grass coat my feet and there I am partly
Wet.
As I leap to the front door to avoid stepping on a
Dead bee,
I slip and fall,
Remembering how you
Pushed me
To the ground back in school.
You thought it was
Funny.
I held a grudge since then.
I see you now,
Years later,
You are pale as a ghost while
I have color on my skin from being out in
The sun.
The bags under your eyes remind me of how
I wanted to make them bleed by stabbing them with my imaginary
Knife.
I’m glad I never had that knife in my pocket.
Rather than slapping you back in the face,
I am the one
Who received the Slap of
Forgiveness.
I once wanted to hurt you
But just seeing you
Made me break my
Grudge.
I’m put together now,
And I forgive you then and now.
I am relieved you were able to see me.
Seeing where you are
Made me not proud but understand
The traumatic circumstances you passed onto
Me.
Don’t worry,
I made sure they were locked away and gone,
And I needed that slap of forgiveness.
No more horrible thoughts.
You are forgiven,
Peace.