I am no longer a volcano. I am a seething rage of cool existence; a deep burn, one that ignites the soul.

A liberating flurry of flames, destroying all to better begin anew. Two steps ahead of the phoenix, I’ve already planted the seeds to help my inner-world flourish.

I am no longer at your mercy, but gently pressing against the walls of my own being. Reappropriation is like laughter: it bounces off walls, and its imperceptible power fills your heart with joy; a glitter bomb exploding in your soul.

A Universe unto myself, my expansion is continuous. I’ve set my mind free and let the cage of my past dissolve like ashes in the wind.

I can taste the colours again, soak up the love in their eyes, savour the silence… dance ’till I drop, scream at the top of my lungs, fall into passionate embrace, let my heavy eyes rest, and do it all over tomorrow.

I can feel the lead of a pencil sigh as I press down onto paper, feel the temperature of colours when they meet, swirl and mix; and the words trickle like dewdrops, as they roll off the pages of my mind.

I now remember the untarnished power of finding beauty in the now, the stars, the sun, the wind; and the radiant smiles of those who populate my world. 🙏🏾❤️

©️ Beatriz Esmer