there is me

a flame

me is a deep fire, burning

capable of holding space for great, gulping pain

I cry out to the night sky with wonder eyes, “Look at all the stars!”

my fire needs a cozy home

one whose walls I’ve built

not to keep everyone out,

but to protect against sharp gusts of wind

you know who you are

or maybe, you have no idea

either way

parts of the walls are hard and unyielding,

others soft and porous

I thought a long time about building my house

until one day there was no other way to live

my fire was a flicker

and to love myself I had to figure out how bricks and stone and leaves and sticks might

fit together for a while.

you might never be allowed in.

or I might invite you for tea sometime

some of you will build your own houses

these are the best kind of people

then we each leave and meet somewhere

together, out in the glorious day

but this is my house

this is me inside

the flame that I won’t let go out

I’m sorry

and I’m not

“Boundaries” -Melissa Kircher