Some moments,
I am Atlas,
and the world is resting
snugly between my shoulder blades,
and I am set
with the determination of a thousand warriors
to never let it slip, for I become euphoric
from overcoming impossibility.

And then, some moments,
I am the Mimosa pudica,
a "Touch-Me-Not" woman, weary
of unclean hands leaving bruises on my skin,
and I am withdrawn
so tightly into the universe within my own black hole
that I can't remember how
to climb out again.

If you are to love me,
love me as both
a powerful Titan - an ancient goddess -
and
a gentle flower,
a delicate bloom:

to be respected,
to be honored,
to be valued,
but also -

to be nurtured
when the Sun has been most cruel,
for it is hard to be
both strong
and vulnerable.