The Poetry Marathon

A Letter To My Reflection

Dear lost little girl
I want you to know something
I see you
And when I say I see you
I mean I am you
We’re older now
With laugh lines that rest
In the corners of our mouth
And crows feet wrinkles
That highlight the twinkle
In our eyes.
But I see you

Sometimes I even hear you
In a belly laugh with an old pal.
Or in a whisper that carries
The joy of a secret
That you can only share
With the best of friends

I see you
I know you didn’t get to be
That little girl for very long
This world turns girls into women
Before they even get a chance
To enjoy what it is to be a child
But I see you
And I love you

Dear lost little girl
Come out and play
You don’t have to hide anymore.

I don’t know how to let you go
How could I when you’re
In everything I see and do
From my waking moments
Until my eyes flutter shut
You even visit me in my dreams

I don’t know how to let you go
I could write pages full of memories
And fill novel after novel
Until there’s no room left
On these dusty shelves
For books I’m too afraid open
Too afraid to read
Too afraid to feel

I don’t know how to let you go
And maybe I don’t have to
In one hand I hold grief
In the other hand, guilt
And now I’m learning to unclench my fingers
So I can cradle your sweet memory.

I thought what I wanted

Was to feel butterflies again

Until she showed up

And gave me fireflies in a jar

Lighting up my darkness

We’ve been burned

We’ve been drowned

We’ve been put on trial

For simply being women, but

No flame too hot

No water too deep

No judge and jury

Will ever take away

Our magic.

We only grow stronger

And this is our witching hour