brave face

when tomorrow comes

you wear the

brave face

relax your muscles

so it sits tight

when tomorrow comes

you wear the smile

make sure it reaches

your eyes

a mark that it is

genuine

when tomorrow comes

your voice is strong

your sentences

coherent

no ‘umms’

you walk in a room

and people notice

your shoulders straight

when tomorrow comes

you breathe deeply

the illusion of

calm

in and out

noticing things around you

while you keep

smiling

all so natural

grounding yourself

when tomorrow comes

you make eye contact

and hold it

pause

to show you belong

even when this is

your first time

or many

when tomorrow comes

you are not

afraid

nor

second guess

question yourself

or your choices

your values

sometimes in conflict

but

but tonight

your stomach is as heavy

as

when you were pregnant

your finger tips

cold

nauseating

your throat dry

parched with thirst

and thorns

your heartbeat

fast

faster

than normal

food tastes like nothing

no not nothing

but maybe

chalk

or paint

peeled off a wall

even your favourite dish

pad thai

or your favourite show

uncle iroh’s wisdom

falls on deaf ears

your thoughts fuzzy

too many

your breathing shallow

your dreams

turn into nightmares

yet

and you know this

there have been many

tonights

like tonight

and there will be more to

come

but when tomorrow comes

you will wear your

big-girl [dress]

because

tomorrow comes

always has

and when tomorrow

comes

you are always brave

tonight is

a distant memory

so be gentle

with you

your thoughts

your body

be kind

because

this too shall pass

tonight will turn

into tomorrow

and tomorrow into

tonight

coming to a full

circle