give me me

of all the pain on this vain i trained myself restrain,

of all the hurt and the dirt i assert to desert,

of all the cries from the lies i despise that made me wise,

of all the hurdle, most impossible whirl, those that forced me curl—

i am, dear world—

nothing more but a girl.

give me my voice so i can scream,

give me my hand so i can reach,

give me my eyes so i can dream,

give me my ears so i can teach.

give me me, dear life,

give me me.

and i promise to nurture me,

like an acorn –i will be an oak,

then i vow to keep nursing me,

revive my every death like phoenix—

survive every ash, every fog, every smoke.

i am, dear world—


nothing more but a girl.

but this nothingness is the very everything for my children and my husband,

the rain on their head at times when their lives burn

the hands that will lift every ounce of their burden

the very home that waits devotedly for their return

this girl—


is a guarantee for every lost soul.

this girl—

can be anything you can only imagine me to be.

if—

and only if—

you give me—

me.

this is a piece i made for Wellington Women Walk for Peace, New Zealand.

just because i am--

a woman.