words found me in what we call

a “difficult childhood”,

unshielded from:

life is bleak

lonely

and brief

love sometimes looks a lot like hate

monsters do exist

that bandaids are just that.

words befriend me

and say,

‘this way! over here! i wanna show you something!’

my eyes squint at first

then widen when i see it

and i say,

‘wow! i never saw that before!’

i think im treading just fine,

then words swim to me from underneath,

place their hands on my belly,

keep me afloat,

help me make sense of

what is confusing and troubling

sad and upsetting

dark and weird.

Okay,

I’m gonna go for a swim.

should anyone ask ‘what does she do?’

while im away,

just say,

she’s a buoyant healer, held up by her words—a kind mermaid who doesn’t mind getting her hair wet.

*art by SOOSH