issue 3

you’ve always been good enough for me,
always
& I’ve always been good enough for you
even all those times I was certain
that I’d made the biggest mistake or surely was the most
worthless, useless person who couldn’t do anything right
& would never amount to anything
even when I couldn’t see it in myself,
you showed me that I was worth it

I never thought things would be better for me
I never thought I deserved better

I would look in the mirror & see something
ugly, someone ugly who should hide their face
& try to be invisible; living in shadows, dwelling in
darkness; but you gently lifted my chin up
to face the sun
& finally made me believe that in all ways,
I was good enough,
always good enough