a daughter should
not have to
beg her father
for a relationship

i can't tell if my mother is
terrified or in love with
my father it all
looks the same

i flinch when you touch me
i fear it is him

I sat with myself one day and asked, 'Who is in those prestigious literary circles? Do they represent me? Do they appreciate the topics I write about and the style in which I write? Do those gatekeepers let a demographic like mine through the door?' And the answer was no.

When things get better, there's a swing to the pendulum where things get worse for others.

Like the rainbow
after the rain
joy will reveal itself
after sorrow

never feel guilty for starting again