Illustration credits: Emily Nash
I keep my mind focused
On self-love
Won’t keep it racing
Maintaining that grudge
I respect every inch
Of my body and soul
I care for my wounds
Blot them with alcohol
A shot
More
A glass
More
A bottle
More
But I exercise
Frequently
Put the good food
In my body
Yet I still find myself
Unable to sleep
My mind is too loud
Your voice on repeat
Calming me down
But sometimes keeping me up
So I take a shower
Or have a bath
I wear my tiara
To feel less scarred
A new persona
That tries so hard
Landed in hell
Slipped on the shards
Acrylic nails to claw my way out
But drowning without a guard
Or even a window in my bedroom
I’ve never been good at swimming
I’ve almost drowned more times
Than the number of laps I can do
Symbolic, perhaps
What keeps me going are the calm day chimes
I remind myself that I’m not always like this
And that arm bands are okay sometimes.
