know me raw and hurting
insides scraped out of crevices
where pain was hiding
the tender soft belly revealed
on the underside of stones
lifted to find life
crawling underneath
know me in the secrecy of shame
revealed
inching toward potential for liberation
with trepidation and longing
hand in hand
know me in the ache to be free
interwoven with the cellular memory
of intense violence and violation
ache and memory revealing themselves
to each other
like slow growing root systems
reaching toward water
nourish me memory
nourish me with pain
reaching toward love
with undeniable tenacity
know me in my devotion
opening to heart
over and over again softening
here and healing
