Wild Body

When I stare at the face of the little girl 

who once was me, I see

wild love and wonder.

Always curious, observing and sensing

always wandering with her imagination to

unknown places.

The pressure to achieve,

to earn love,

took her wild from her.

It pushed her to conform

to perform

and to perfect

until the wild one 

suffocated and lost its vitality

To the chokehold of being “good”

She’s breathing again,

shallow breaths becoming 

deeper,

colors returning the

brightness to her eyes.

I get to have her

no one can take her from me. 

No more abandoned or shrouded parts

just a fully expressed

wondrous, wild me

with a wild love for this one

precious life.