Poetry kept her safe;

Poetry kept her sane.

When words pile up within her brain and

Threaten to explode,

She turned to ink and paper.

Poetry gave her comfort;

Poetry gave her an escape.

When outsiders didn’t understand why

She wanted to die, her

Journal never left her side;

Never judging.

Always accepting the hurt and anger and betrayal and self-doubt

That lead to her turning point.

Poetry gave her freedom;

Poetry gave her life.

Staving off the death threats with pen in hand,

She releases the words from their

Cold dark prison and

Let them pour from her deeply scarred mind.

As long as she writes,

Maybe then the threats and darkness and memories and apprehension

Will dissipate.

Now she writes to keep herself safe;

Now she writes to keep herself sane.