was fierce, domineering, if not condescending

and yet

she seemed to have been drowning, but no one’s noticing

with each wave she had to fight back, her strength declining

with each tears she shed in silence, her battles seemed even more overwhelming

who could she call? when even the word “help” she couldn’t utter.

struggling and struggling, in her mind she kept asking, “does all of this even matter?”

in the sorrow of her despair, all she ever wanted was still, to get out of that water

finally able to write that poem about her
|| September (2023) Poetry Entry ||

—marymancee✨✨✨