I was 13 years old
One month and one day away from 14.
It was January 20, 2017.
I sat one seat to the right
of center stage center for the show
in my social studies class
My teacher sat on the left
sitting on a corner of her desk
We all looked up to the right towards the TV
I could see the tears in my teacher's eyes
I could feel them in mine.
That year we had learned about
George Washington, Alexander Hamilton
The Revolution
And somewhere, in that 13, almost 14, year old belly,
a revolution was stirring
and I became the opinionated girl in school
no one could shut me up
I am 17
One month and one day away from 18
I watched today, exactly four years later
Exactly 2 weeks after an attempted coup
Exactly 1 week after a second impeachment
tears welled in my eyes
for another reason
the end of an era,
the beginning of a new one,
The US Capitol getting it's color back
people seemed to breathe
for the first time in 4 years
I watched in awe
and what a relief it will be
to wake up tomorrow
in a brighter country.
knowing that democracy won
and that 13-
almost 14-
year old me,
would be beaming

the finding of myself:
country music and gold jewelry
the color yellow, and God

your body was built
for many more
torrential downpours
than the rainstorms
you've endured
-dance in the rain

tell me, lovey:
do you miss me?
don't lie.
I know you too well,
to be ignorant,
to your signs of untruthfulness
-i knew you better than myself

My biggest fear,
is that you will come back
on a day that I am too weak
to say no

you felt
as if you were
nothing,
but look at you know...
you are everything, darling
you are everything
you've ever dreamt of being

beautiful girl,
relax your shoulders
unclench your fists.
let this one go