the weight

today, i shook you out of my hair,

screamed you out of my lungs

and

expelled you from my body —

the one you never taught me to love.

the one you couldn’t love if it didn’t raise its hands in adoration of your savior

the one you couldn’t look at last week

the one you created.

i shook all of you out of me and looked down at my body

the one i’m learning to love with grace and kindness

and for the first time,

the weight i carry

didn’t feel so heavy.