in the spirit of the freedom of movement and radical healing…truth written in fire:

quiet words spoken / over mint leaves heated in / purified water

with skin is the color of fertile soil,

the default is love and healing

woman, daughter, friend, child of earth

…and I know you see it – I see you see me…

I see. You see…

Me…

Myself. My self…

I, Deborah Cowell.

If I am to bare my soul on this day…

…i who have been talked about and scorned
…i who have been raped
…i who have been burned
…i who have known hunger in the ivory tower
…i who have been caught by the trappings of materialism and revolving debt
…i who have known the posture of low self-esteem marked as vanity
…i who have known softness in lack of self-confidence branded as arrogance
…i who have known my own discovery of self-worth described as conceit
…i who have been fed garbage disguised as food
…i who have mistaken sex for passion
…i who have mistaken lust for love
…i who have swallowed the seed
…i who have tasted the nectar
…i who have known the loss of an unborn child
…i who have known the loss of extended “friends”
…i who have been shunned by “family”
…i who have known heartbreak
…i who have known the shame
of being unshielded during river flows of menstrual blood

…i who have kissed the ring and choked on the diamond

…i who have been broken
…i who have been downtrodden
…i who have been forsaken by salt
…i who have lived among the lowest who call themselves kings
…i who have been held captive
…i who do not trust slaves
…i who walk among thieves, protected
…i who have been criminalized, institutionalized, and detained

…i who am proof that knowledge without fear is power
…i who have tried
…i who have dared
…i who have kneeled, stood and walked in prayer
…i who have given thanks in stone
…i who have risen from ashes
…i who have cast water on dust
…i who have found strength in the fire of candles
…i who have written in the moonlight you call darkness
…i who have no use anymore for tears of anger

…i who have been reborn in the light of my own silver shadow
…i who have become new myth to fallen angels
…i who have become whole

If I am to bare my soul on this day…
…then yes, I am free!

bushido aphorism

Generally speaking, when combat is bound to be easy, you let the other side make the first move. When it is going to be dangerous, you should consider it your task alone, even if it takes a hundred tries.