Kindness like a knife-edge whisper:
It’s okay, you deserve this.
Stop holding joy at arm’s length
Like a long-denied kiss.
But the mind’s torture persists,
Insists it must be heard,
Serving penance for past mistakes,
Every fumbled choice and awkward word
Repeat themselves—concealed jabs,
A thousand hidden razor cuts
Slice confidence, worthiness,
Forcing the soul’s door shut.
Forgiveness lures, not forgotten,
But its mercy is a ghost
Compared to the relentless burn
Of Past’s repeated roast.
A hardened heart stares down the mind,
Turned traitor too many times.
Wisps of love seep through the lies,
Hope seeks a thought that’s kind.
A lifetime marches by this way,
Joy suffocating in Cruelty’s shade,
But alive, still, dreaming of the day
When self-loathing finally fades.
Original writing by Katrina Ariel.
Yeah, so… I’ll try to post something happier next time, but no promises. My poems seem to come from dark places, inspiration shining through shadow.
Self-kindness is a gift. Though not always easy, it’s worth pursuing the practice.
Whatever happens, keep singing your song!
Peace. 
Top photo credit: Yarislov Korshikov/Unlsplash
Author bio: Katrina Ariel is an old-soul rebel, musician, tree-hugging yogini, and mama bear to twins. Author of Yoga for Dragon Riders (non-fiction) and Wild Horse Heart (romance), she's another free-spirit swimming in the ocean of Steem.
Dragon art commissioned from Liiga Smilshkalne.