PIECES OF MYSELF
I tore off little pieces of my flesh,
And handed them to you. "Here", I said,
"Now love me. Or if you can’t love me,
Then let me be myself."
But the pieces of flesh were not enough
For you. "Give me more, give me all of
Yourself, hand over all your hopes and
Dreams."
I wound pieces of cloth around the bloody
Gashes. I stuck pieces of paper to the smaller
Wounds. There was peace for awhile.
Then came the first time that our wishes
And goals clashed. More pieces of myself
Were needed, to keep the peace.
This time the pieces of cloth had to be wider;
The tears that dripped upon the wounds
To heal them with their salt, were heavier
And more bitter.
Then came a time when I had outgrown
The need to be constrained. This time, you
Tried to tear of pieces of me yourself;
But I had learned to love myself, by that time.
"No," I said. And then I said a little prayer,
And felt a peace come over me. "I am
A child of the Great Mother, and am whole
In that love.
Never again will anyone take pieces from
Me, either of my flesh, or of my heart; and
Love freely given and freely taken, does
Not take away, but adds to the soul."
© Copyright 11/1/05
Beth Clare Johnson
(Mystic Amazon)
