it’s not a wallit’s the shape of staying

not a door closingbut a way of choosingwhat gets to come inand what doesn’t

it’s the pausebefore I say yesbecause I want to—not because I’m afraidof what happens if I don’t

it’s menot shrinkingnot twistingnot performingjustmeno longer leaving myselfto stay close to someone elsejust less willingto go missingin the name of connection

it’s how I protect the part of mestill softstill learningstill healingfrom the timesI didn’t know I could ask for more

it’s how my shoulders stop bracinghow I stop scanning the roombefore I speak

and I love youfrom hereit’s not a wallit’s the way back to myself

If it stirred something, stay a while. I write about love, presence, and becoming.

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