though the face in the mirror
has seen horrors
leaked tears

I am more
than those moments
I still can’t quite shake
though I’m not shaking anymore

I am walking forward
even when it’s a demoralizing procession
of eating pavement and picking myself up again

I am working on forgiving myself
for those egregious errors and casualties
strewn along my route
in and out of hell

I am listening
to the voice that shouts
that I need to dig up the dark things
to let the light inside me out