“Je ne sais quoi” was fun, but not enough

There were still some strands to shimmy off

To unearth the person without the trappings

To mess with the gaze so it knew not to mess with.

She emerged, that girl, she was always there

Though bumped and bruised, her eyes were still clear

She stared back at me, like she’d been patiently waiting

Her defiant gaze, triumphantly blazing.

Those cheekbones! Damn! They glint like ice!

And self care works! Velvet skin! Dark as night!

Who knew your ears lovingly cradled you so?

Your full lips and nose, stanning rebellious and bold.

Darling, your crown curves a beautiful swoop

With delight, I caress the divine in a loop

The wonder-struck awe unfazed by the pack

Who couldn’t stand the view from the back.  

Fierce she was, fierce I am, fierce I have to be

Took a while to adjust to my honest decree

A touch, once blunted, now prickly intense 

An urgent reminder “don’t doubt your essence“.

I am her, she is me, on this long-ass journey

It took less, and not more for this level of “free”

‘I am’ from within and not from without

I was always enough. Now I know not to doubt.