i rose.

i sat in the hole,
hands raw from clawing at stone,
eyes filled with tears.

for so long
the walls looked endless,
my voice unable to be heard.

but then-
a sliver of light
peaked over the edge,
dim, patient,
waiting for me to notice.

step by step
i rose,
bones aching,
heart unsure,
mind fearful.

when my fingers touched the edge
and the sun shined down on me,
soft and warm,
i knew
there was still a place
for me in this world.

scars

our scars,
memories etched into our skin
with a story for each.

some gentle, like brushstrokes
reminding us of joy and laughter
from when we were young,
falling and getting back up.

others more rough,
irregular lines we’d rather forget
that sting with memories
of nights we thought we wouldn’t make it.

and then there are the ones unseen,
invisible to all but ourselves
within fractures of our mind.

one by one,
these helped weave who we are.

good or bad,
they never leave-
a map leading down a road with no end
but countless stories of survival.

🐦

a cottage eases into the morning,
windows shining with gold.
the lake trying to rest,
sunlight whispering against its skin.

birds spread music,
dew clings to grass like glue,
coffee drifts warm through the air.

it feels unreal-
this world finally coming alive.

your hand in mine,
the horizon opens,
a quiet miracle spilling across the water
as it disappears to an alarm.

it’s time for the day to actually start,
and the dreams to stop.