Sea of Tears

Driven by the breath of my Presence

Sailing to my Freedom on a sea of tears.

Sobs of remembered hurt and pain

Bilged deep from within my belly and core.

Barnacles of trauma grinding my wood-planked body.

Shame ices over my spirit as the barometer dives, and then…

Victimhood swells and sweeps, spraying across the foaming waves.

Anger brightly flashes and sizzles across the screaming sky.

Making sure none see past the lightning to the pain,

Hiding from everyone and everything, the hurt little boy.

Clouds rumbling close; heavy, low, dark, and hateful.

Regret rages and howls, ravaging my heart rigging.

Tied to the helm of my being, I grasp the tiller, tightly.

Courage the only answer: I tack into a following sea.

Pops and creaks and cries ring out as my soul unfurls.

Racing before the wind, acknowledging, accepting, forgiving.

Billowing breaths of gratitude, of healing and even joy.

Setting the sails of my purpose, of my soul, of my life.

Pushing through the storm, weathered but unbroken,

Into a sunrise washed clean of shame, fear, and the dark.