i
let myself
know
that my life
doesn't
have to be over
just because
theirs are
& i went
ahead
& painted
the sun
back into
my sky.
I am allowed to live my life.

it took
losing him
to finally
find
myself.

It took
losing him
a second time
to be sure
of myself.

that
was my
first act
of
self-love.

Sei dovunque, amore mio. Anche quando mi guardo allo specchio e mi vedo e sono come ‘sto pennello. Freddo, senza vita, ma ogni ruga, amore mio, ogni capello bianco sei tu. Come faccio?

There was a roaring in my ears and I lost track of what they were saying. I believe it was the physical manifestation of unbearable grief.

repeat after me:
you owe
no one
your forgiveness.

- except maybe yourself.

over the decades
her books became
such a part
of her

that
the ink
somehow escaped
her veins & bloomed
her favorite
words & images
onto her skin.

now
the world
would have
no doubt:

she
was the
pagebound
girl- page to skin