Her Place In This World

She was cursed at birth; or was it a gift,

A burden written within her soul contract,

A choice that she carries heavily, shoulders bent,

Weighed down, feet dragging, under the load.

She feels everything too deeply,

From regret to love — guilt to shame — joy to sorrow,

And there are times she begs for it to be different,

Stripping her of her underlying peace.

She loves until it hurts,

Shoulders responsibility she never asked for,

Forgives before she should,

And carries guilt for the storms she did not call.

Her sleep is tormented, her dreams horrid nightmares,

Apologies slip from her lips, shamed for the space she occupies,

Conscious of the minutes that hide in the silence, overthinking every second,

And loving the very people that never look back.

Replays every nuance and forgotten conversation,

Wondering if she said too little, said too much,

Always questioning if she was enough,

Or one that is easily forgotten — a face without a name.

She loves hard, buries her regrets deep within her heart,

Her fears shroud her beneath their darkness,

Where she comes to her final realisation,

She always loves deeper than she’ll ever feel in return.

She’s learned to wander the darkest night,

Searching for full moons and hidden rainbows,

Early sunrises that brighten her day for a few seconds,

And stunning sunsets that colour her tears.

She’s acquired the ability to get lost in her solitude,

Wrapped safely in its cocoon,

Where balance resides on the whim of her memories,

And it is here she finds the freedom to surrender within her radiant smile.