PARTS OF ME
Within this body that you all see
Is a baby I’ve just found — she’s me.
She lives inside of me in like a womb
I want to care for her and give her room
Room to grow so she can meet
Her seven-year-old sister who has started to speak
When they feel loved, maybe they’ll join
The terrorized twelve-year-old in my groin.
I have a thirteen-year-old that’s full of shame
And a fifteen-year-old — I don’t know her name
I have this other self — the adult me
She’s the one you most often see.
We’re beginning to trust a chosen few
Who will help me care for all of you.
I think we know what we must find
Unconditional acceptance and a lot of time.