I Wish

I wish I could travel back in

time to see you, to hold your hand,

to stand with you so you could find

your absent voice.

You can say no.

You do not have to be afraid.

You do not have to settle in

these empty ways.

These habits are toxic to your

mind, destructive to your body,

detrimental to your fragile,

beautiful heart.

Sweetheart please,

hold tight to yourself.

Do not wash her down the drain with

soapy water,

try not to split her open.

Try not to lose her within the

nightmares that sleep

on your pillow.

Your horizon stretches so much

further than your eyes can see.

Your future is so much brighter than

this darkness you are trying to

swim through right now.

I wish I could travel back in

time to see you,

to comfort you,

to hold your hand.

I'd show you how beautiful you

have always been.

I'd show you the strongest woman

you'll ever meet,

the one that you grew to be.

You,

me,

we survived.

We overcame.

Our story did not end when you

meant it to.

Our story did not end when his

anger manifested on your body and

our story did not end

that night you did not understand

so long ago.

Those events were nothing but a

semi-colon on the script of

our life.

They were supposed to end

you;

instead,

they were the beginning,

the start of who you became.

A light, so bright,

in a world so dark.

An inspiration,

a voice,

for those who lost their tongue just as

you once did.

Dear, believe it.

I am the proof.

My scars reveal the truth.

I am you.