Way Back I Wanna Love Myself
By Sishitha Pilli
Way back I can’t answer these scars,
Speaking out loud and messing my mind.
Scratches of dried-up blood and lines.
Had to cover up with all the clothes I had.
All the love I deserve, can’t I ask for some more…
Way back I lost myself oh oh…
I cried, I begged for the care I need,
Hiding another face of mine indeed.
Therapy couldn’t give the peace I seek.
Oh boy! I can’t repeat and cheat.
All the warmth I have shared made me freeze in the nights.
Way back I lost myself oh oh…
Now I see the light, at the edge of the other side,
Holding myself too tight, let me fly like a bird tonight.
I am strong enough to break this cage and run to the brighter side.
Breaking these barricades, I am letting go of all this rage inside.
Way back I wanna love myself,
Way back I was that lovely self.
I just wanna love myself,
God, Imma try to love myself
A Farewell to Bees
By Serafina Piasentin
For all women who give without receiving
She was clay, grass, hills, s e a
Green caked beneath each finger
nail. Limbs bl o o m ing
into brick, skin stretching into w i n d o w…
To find a door in this home that cannot be her own.
Once Earth, then seed, now petals opening to Bee
more than the honeyed welcome mat
of the house on a hill and the woman it used to be.
Commentary: The world is made up of Givers and Takers. I watched my mom give up her very body to build a home for her children. I watched my Nonna go out of her way to fashion the most bountiful gifts for her grandchildren. I watched as I dropped everything for those I loved, forgetting that I was supposed to love myself too. It is easy to forget that we are not welcome mats that can be walked all over and taken advantage of. Women need to remember to give to themselves too, either by setting up boundaries, practicing self-care, or accepting the love they truly deserve. Because if anyone is worthy of safety, it is those women who give without receiving.
Healing By: Elissa Deauvall
To heal is to create a
new and improved version
of what was left in a pile of
shattered emotions
To heal is to break free
from the chains
that held you back
for so long
To heal is to learn
how to breathe again
To heal is to
feel alive
and to start anew
To heal is to become
a masterpiece;
a mosaic of pain and heartache,
reimagined into the most beautiful
thing to have ever existed
Commentary: Feeling broken and defeated can cause a lot of pain. We may think that healing is a smooth, linear path, but that’s not always the case. Healing can be painful, but it’s necessary for growth. This poem serves as a reminder that trying to heal can be incredible as it can result in a beautiful metamorphosis of positive change. To all those learning to heal, you’ve got this. I’m doing it, so I know you can too.
Adventure Called By: Elissa Deauvall
She walked the trails
with a grace
only she could master
The sun shined
a little harder
every time she smiled
The birds sang
a little louder
every time she laughed
Her words
had enough power
to move mountains
She got lost in her thoughts,
I could tell because
her eyes lit up a bit more
She saw beauty
in everything
even in me
Adventure called her
and her heart gladly answered
“Yes.”
