Poem: Armor of Light

I walk the world with open eyes,
Where shadow whispers wear a disguise.
But in my chest, a quiet flame—
A sacred strength I will not name.

The noise of others’ hurt and fear
May call me close, but not too near.
For woven deep within my skin,
Is where my boundaries begin.

No blade of scorn, no storm of shame,
Can pierce this shield of quiet flame.
It bends in the dark, deflects the sting—
A barrier born of inner spring.

This is no wall, no prison stone,
But roots of self I’ve firmly grown.
I feel the world, but I don’t drown—
My soul’s own center holds me down.

Empathy, a sacred thread,
But not a net to make me bled.
I hold the pain, then let it pass—
Like rain that runs through blades of grass.

So let the chaos rise and roll,
I meet it with a grounded soul.
Not hardened cold, but steady, clear—
With open heart, and anchored fear.

This is the work, the silent art:
To guard the mind, and keep the heart.
A dance of strength and grace concealed—
The warrior’s gift: to feel, and heal.