You were with you when you screeched in earth side
You were with you when you learned how to ride a bike
Perfect your backflip into the pool
You were the you who pissed off every single boy in your neighborhood because you were better at sports
You sat beside you when crying your eyes out at first glance of the “Shirley Temple” hairdo sitting on top your head, mounds of silly bouncy curls framing your face, the hairdo your mother forced you into
A hairdo that sent a horror strip of nails and fear down your spine. The first time in your short life, the person you saw in the mirror was NOT the person you believed you were inside
You huddled with you under the covers at night
awake
fucking spooked out of your mind, absolutely convinced beings were living under the bed, and of course, with pet sharks
You squeezed your favorite squishy pillow tight, breathing in the scent of you
deeply
to help you calm down,
to reduce the anguish of the night
to diminish the noise
You rode your bike up and down your street with you swerving around rocks and over little jumps, patting the side of your bike as you cleared every imaginary obstacle
Pretending your trusty bike was a horse
Talking to your bike like a pet
like a friend
Not giving any fucks at all, ever.
You helped you make an actual “mud pie” using a cup of sugar mixed with fresh soupy mud harvested from the puddle at the end of the driveway
You and you managed a menagerie of super stories , crafted to spin when questioned about the green purple bruises on your exposed summer legs. The bruises that gave you a cute camo legging look, except you were 9 and not allowed to wear leggings.
You were standing proud with you when your name was called , making the final cut for the high school drill team. You and you worked your ass off for months to get each and every move down just right. You showed up for you.
You made bad decisions when you refused to listen to you
Choosing instead to roam around at the bottom of the barrel glued to a cast of thieves, drug addicts, and hookers
You grabbed you , smacked you in the face until YOU saw a light, a dim light but bright enough to encourage a path
You ran with you to a far away country, a healing place, a place to grow
You birthed babies with you,
you worked your ass off to raise the same babies
You and You kept them safe in a calm , quiet town
You pushed you to do whatever was required to keep those babies safe, happy and seen
You pushed shopping carts in snow, back and forth because transport was not a luxury for you
You and You saved many pennies
You purchased a home with you
You convinced you to get your ass back in school
You succeeded as you with you always by your side
but yet,
You never gave YOU credit for your bad ass
You were always so hard on You, quite mean actually
You did not allow YOU to deserve praise
But listen…
You is every moment,
every shame, every triumph , every pain
Every laughter, every joy, every wonder
YOU are the only YOU
Be kind, be gentle , be proud of YOU
Let that queen shine out loud
You is your ride or die