i hope my hope doesn’t break me in half
tried to fit within the margins
tried to damage my confidence
tried for the last
i hope my hope doesn’t keep me stagnant
accepting of every ***** hand
accepting the present as best as it gets
accepting for the last
i hope my hope doesn’t make me lose track
keeping score of my blackest past
keeping mindless men in my grasp
keeping for the last
i hope my hope doesn’t

pouring out paragraphs of poetry
reading until i stop absorbing
my confidence built on words
i worked to make this work
confident, optimistic, and brilliant
pursuing activities for pleasure
demanding a stronger tether
binding, finding my tribe
aligning, trying to vibe
my confident built on words
redefined all my hurt
made my hurt work for me
embrace the shadowy

fur lined coat
misspoke, words stuck in my throat
xoxo, written
let attraction become diminished
misspoke, memories mined for gold
xoxo, smitten
misspoke, your scent clinging to my clothes
xoxo, got to go
long walk home