I wear pain
around my neck
like a diamond necklace,
and embellish tragedy
so that it doesn't rob me of my essence.
My mother taught me how to adorn pain
so that it doesn't choke me.

You must understand
that I understand your brokenness.
I know how it seems when darkness
lurks in your corners,
and how it feels when your demons
tie knots around your heart.
You don't need to bury the scars
of all the battles you've fought,
for I too have scars that have
made home under my skin.
Come closer, let's merge our universes
and shine through our cracks.
Like Persus and Andromeda,
let's be constellations.