Dear, Gawd,

I was violated at 15,

Afraid to be around men,

Afraid that love would pass me over,

Afraid of everything,

A broken bird with no song,

A nightingale surrounded by darkness,

“Will I ever see the light again? Or sing again? Or ‘be’ again?”

I asked you for those answers,

And they seemed to never come,

Prayer is complicated when you’re young,

Dear, Gawd,

Allow me to grow older,

And grow stronger,

And be less afraid,

This is what I prayed for,

Brighter days,

For a broken bird to once again fly,

And sing more than she cried…

Settled in a nest of my pain, 

I lay empty eggs,

Never take flight,

Dear, Gawd,

I’m in my 40’s now,

And it’s flight time,

It took decades to mend my broken wings,

Take my broken things,

And discard them,

Take my broken places, 

And regard them as a road map for healing,

I’m easing on down the road,

With my love in tow,

Love for myself,

And love for my mate,

A person that erases every fear,

And may we be fruitful,

Joyful,

So full of life,

Dear, Gawd,

Thank you for making me Quincy’s wife,

A man who wasn’t afraid of my broken places,

A man who made love easy,

A man who takes care of my heart,

Supports my art,

As I do with him,

A divine match in a mismatched galaxy,

Two star-crossed lovers that align perfectly, 

Dear, Gawd,

Thank you for an answered prayer,

Wingspan,

Song,

Adoration,

Healing,

And finally,

I get to be,

And to become,

Without worry. 

Dear, Gawd,

My Gawd,

Thank you.