Ebb and Flow

Ebb and Flow

It’s time to guard my ears and my eye gates
So much information swirling around that it’s too much to fit on my plate

So many dating rules
What’s truth, what’s a lie?
And for me, being a single mom,
Do the same rules apply?

There’s so much advice about why I shouldn’t date a single dad
So many opinions about how many kids I have
When is enough enough?
Some days I feel like staying to myself because some days this shit gets tough

I’m just trying to be a good mom
But being accused of putting my children first
And if I decide to neglect them, then I’d be seen as the worst

To me, it’s ebb and flow
Balancing love for them, love for me, so it all can grow
I’m tired of the judgment, the whispers, the stare
Like I can’t want companionship and still deeply care

They say dating a single parent is too much to bear
That our lives are too messy, that we come with too much wear
That my kids will resent it, or I’ll be hard to please
As if love’s only simple when it comes with ease

But I want a mate who sees my kids as his own
Where love isn’t divided but deeply grown
I’ll love his children, he’ll love mine
Together we’ll build something steady, something divine

It’s not a competition, but a balance, a team
A family built on respect, love, and a shared dream
To move as one, no room for divide
Just a bond that’s solid, with love as our guide

For all the myths, the doubts, the things people say
I’ll choose to believe we’ll find our way
I’ll guard my heart, but I won’t close the door
Because love like this? It’s worth waiting for

Bandaids don’t heal

Bandaids don’t heal

Sometimes it’s easier to run to the bandaid
than to take the time to properly care for the wound
Unfortunately, Bandaids don’t heal
I’m hoping that you’ll wake up and realize that soon

The journey through healing doesn’t always feel good
but if you put in the work
You’ll feel much freer than you ever thought you would

It takes a whole lot more than hope
You can be aware and take baby steps
or settle for the quick high you use to cope

what’s your drug of choice?
what helps you escape?
One day you’ll have to face whatever it is you’re running from on your own
There won’t always be a hero wearing a cape

Be still and Know

Be still and Know

I’m almost certain that the “Good Woman” “Good Man” discussion has been going on for years
The internet gives it a chance to spread faster
I don’t believe there’s a right or wrong
What I do know is that as a people, we’ve always had to be strong

Back in the day, Daddy left for work while mommy stayed and made a home
Often having to cook, clean and nurture and do all the things alone
But she never had to work
Never had to worry about getting mud or sweat on her shirt
She was a soft place to rest
Sometimes she was the only place where both baby and daddy found comfort in her breast

But at some point that all changed
Mama got the right to work and put some extra letters behind her name
While daddy did the same

Here I am at 40, capable of more than most
I’m well educated about nerdy shit like HTML, SEO, and managed web host
I can also cook and clean
I can be soft and gentle
and on my worst days quite mean

But overall my soul is tired
Telling myself who I should be
When deep down in my core…
I just want to be free

Free to fix whatever is broken in my home
Free to enjoy a quiet, bubble bath for longer than 5 minutes alone
Free to be as masculine or feminine as I need to be
Free from my daily bouts of frustration and anxiety

You’ll drive yourself crazy if you try to change to fit someone else’s definition of who you are
Your best bet is to get still so you can take action
Being able to listen to your intuition will take you far

You know who you are
even if others can’t see
You have the power to think, do, and be whomever you choose to be

Surrender and Rest

Surrender and Rest

There’s an inner voice fighting to be heard
but there is a layer of sadness that drowns it out
A layer of lies that causes me to listen to the voice of doubt
What do you do when you’re too tired to fight?
When everything feels loud …even when the house is quiet at night
What do you do when you just want to sleep?
When your prayers go unanswered when you pray to the Lord your soul to keep…
Some nights I feel as if I’m drowning
Choking on the tears from the internal crying…
I know I’m not alone
Sometimes I find comfort in the rain sounds emitting from my phone

I know these feelings will soon pass
Gotta put this body in motion
I have to learn how to embrace all of this
instead of judging myself
or seeing the quickest distraction
Candy Crush won’t do…
Neither will mindless scrolling
I gotta inhale exhale
instead of trying to contain the breath I’m holding….

Surrender and rest

The Light

The Light

Usually, I just post my poem with little to no discussion about the inspiration or meaning behind it. My last few poems have been about depression and each time that I write, my goal is to find the light in the moment or be a light for others.  This poem was written during a moment where I was finding my way out of a dark space.

Felt myself coming apart at the seams long time ago

Didn’t stop to take a breath

Always had to be on the go

No time to stop or yield

Didn’t allow myself to take inventory of how I feel

One day I asked for a break

Eventually, I broke

Unable to do nothing more than cry

Unspoken words caused me to choke

Chakras misaligned

Crying out for help

But no one could see my mind

Therapist recommended medication

But I decided to try meditation

I’m learning how to breathe

A much more difficult task than anyone would believe

Don’t sleep in the power of the inhale exhale

It can save you from burning in your own internal hell

Inhale until your chest fully rises

Hold it

And release anything that compromises

Protect your sanity and energy

I’m starting to feel alive again

The path is starting to clear

I’m starting to see me

Yesterday was my first day back at work and it honestly went very well. By night time sadness hit me outta nowhere. I wrote this poem in an attempt to get through it.

 

At the end of the day

I gotta stand in my own

Face the things that burden me all alone

Everyone tries to assure me and remind me that a whole universe has my back

But that nigga ain’t here or don’t hear when I ask for help to get back on track

6-week old baby

Still trying to feel a new version of sane

Fighting all of this heaviness coursing through my veins

All while my face holds a smile

People happy to see me cause I’ve been gone for a while

Partnership or not this battle is on me

I have to change my perception of reality

Most days deep down I know that all is well

But at this moment I feel like I’m laying in hell

Too numb to break a sweat

Soul growing cold enough to survive

All while the crowd cheers keep hope alive

Have you ever been surrounded by people that cheer you on and advise you on what to do?

Wishing you had someone who could be you for you?

Deep inside I want someone to be me for me

Be there to do all that they can to show me how to get free

Be there to just sit and comfort me

Without me having to ask or beg or hope that they want to be there for me

I swear these poems are getting repetitive

Same message different words

Maybe one day they will be more than just liked

But heard …