April is National Poetry Month. I’m going to attempt to write one poem every day this month. Today’s poem: # 7 for April 7th.

She is Fire

Lost
Anxious
Worried
I eventually make my way to you

When I quiet myself
Gazing into you
I feel the loving adoration you share

Nothing else exists
Only us

I feel the force of the universe
The power that holds everything together
I remember that I am a part of this cosmic symphony

With you watching over me
I feel the innate freedom
That has always been with me

I feel it rising from my abdomen
Gliding past my lungs
Gathering power
Moving into my esophagus
Sliding to my throat
Coalescing in my voice box
Escaping from my body
As I lift my chin
And howl with the force
Of an ancestral line of strong, fierce women

The thoughts that hold me back
Beat me down
Tell me all sorts of bullshit about myself

Those thoughts
They can be real assholes

Why did you say that?
Why did you do that?
Telling me I’m broken
Telling me people don’t like me
Telling me I’m too weird
Telling me that I share too much
Telling me I’m too open
Telling me I’m not worthy
Telling me I don’t make sense
Telling me I did it wrong
Telling me I did it wrong
Telling me I did it wrong

I’ve come a long way in conquering these thoughts
Just a whisper is all that remains
It’s gotten easier

With you reminding me
I know the force is within me
That force lives within the grooves of my brain
I know this is the way
“The Way” is now tattooed across my heart

I catch those thoughts the second
They invade my space
Reminding myself
That none of that is true

Gazing into you
I can see the path I have traveled
A path decorated with stardust
Wine
Laughter
Chocolate
Rain
Honeysuckle
Poetry
Words
Music
Love

An expedition of shaking loose
The shit that doesn’t have anything to do with me
Making my way to falling in love
With my weirdness,
My shine
My body
My chaotic fire
My authentic, vulnerable self

Thank you
Camilla Downs 2024

Today’s condensed prompt: Use this image and the image description below as a jumping off point for the poem. (From Ella Peary with @authorspublish)