I taught myself to read
to understand other people
to feel empathy

I taught myself to see how they feel
to understand why they believe
what they believe

I taught myself to dream
a world where I could be free

I taught myself to be me

I taught myself that
it's OK to learn
OK to burn
OK to scream

I taught myself that it's OK to curse
OK to be worse than someone else on the team

I taught myself to forgive monsters
and the hard world that sharpened their teeth

I taught myself that
everyone cries
everyone lies
everyone dies
everyone deserves to be alive
even me

but the idea that I deserve to be loved
completely
is still just out of reach
for some reason
that's the hardest idea for me to teach

like Heaven
it's something I wish
I could just close my eyes and believe

it's not that easy

but I WILL find a way
one day

you'll see

lift the veil
and let you know
every savage part of me
ride the night
the storm below
let the animal be free

I wander
but do not forget
I wonder
do you see it yet?

it is kismet
it is fate
I am patient
I will wait

woman is a noun
not a verb

a woman is more than a word
more than you heard

a woman is more than a shape
more than a face

a woman is a person
not a thing
or an idea
or a place

everywhere I go
I leave pieces of myself
and receive others