the love that awaits her

A small child inside her
Not afraid
Eager to reach forward
To touch others
With her gentle baby hands
And to feel the love they, too
Can offer
Eager, too
To let go of memories
Threatening to always haunt her
She can see now
In a mirror once foggy
She sees a beautiful reflection
And eager as she always was
She’s now, after all this time
Finding the strength she sought
Inside her, sheltered safely
She’s alive now
She can breathe, and
With the breath of each new dawn
She knows
Beyond any shadow of doubt
That this world is beautiful
And the creatures in it
Both animal, human and not
Are here to keep her safe
To love her
To nourish her
and keep her free from harm
So she stands up
Dusts off her small and fragile self
And she runs forward
Not stopping for moment
She runs with the wind
She runs to be free
And she runs
Toward the love
That awaits her