Poem: Unshackled

I walked a road of shadows deep,
Where silence taught my soul to weep,
A tethered heart, a trembling hand,
Held captive by a ghost’s demand.

Each morning broke with borrowed breath,
A whispered pact with living death,
I chased the high, then met the low,
A storm inside I couldn’t show.

But somewhere in the ash and ache,
A flicker stirred I couldn’t fake—
A voice not loud, but fiercely true,
That dared to say, You’re more than this, too.

I clawed through nights that would not end,
The loss of crutches, foe and friend,
I fell. I rose. I fell again,
Still seeking light beyond the pain.

Then came the dawn, not bright but real,
A space where scar and soul could heal.
With every breath, I broke the chain,
Each step a hymn against the pain.

Now freedom sings in sober skies,
In quiet truths and tear-washed eyes.
I am not shame. I’m not my past—
I’m breaking free. I’m whole. At last.

Thank-you for reading.

Much love and Light,

Brenda Marie Fluharty