Letters to myself

When the sun starts and

I sit in my skin

With the dark land

In all that is deep within

Do I know my skin?

Do I know my within?

Without the spun light

Without the sun bright

Do I know my control?

Do I know my whole?

Self shields and pity fields

Mind wars and body chores

Soul chases and love phases

Do I know my being?

Do I know my meaning?

All that I've thought

Through conditions taught

To learn how to unguard 

All that seems scarred 

Do I know my worth?

Do I know my earth?

That which surrounds

From my perceptions

Is not free 

That which compounds 

Formed by expectations

It is me

Do I know my freedom?

Do I know my wisdom?

Beauty in the breakdown

Faith in the unknown

Is as the land flow

Forever fluid I grow

My skin

My within.

love learning letters

After A While

 After a while you learn
 the subtle difference between
 holding a hand and chaining a soul
 and you learn
 that love doesn’t mean leaning
 and company doesn’t always mean security.
 And you begin to learn
 that kisses aren’t contracts
 and presents aren’t promises
 and you begin to accept your defeats
 with your head up and your eyes ahead
 with the grace of woman,
 not the grief of a child
 and you learn
 to build all your roads on today
 because tomorrow’s ground is
 too uncertain for plans
 and futures have a way of falling down
 in mid-flight.
 After a while you learn
 that even sunshine burns
 if you get too much
 so you plant your own garden
 and decorate your own soul
 instead of waiting for someone
 to bring you flowers.
 And you learn that you really can endure
 you really are strong
 you really do have worth
 and you learn
 and you learn
 with every goodbye, you learn…

  ~ 1971, Veronica A. Shoffstall.