photograph 2003

this is me
pressed against the side of my mother
wide smile and squinted eyes
so proud to look like the woman i thought was a super hero

this is me
before insecurities stole my smile
ashamed of my teeth
embarrassed of my nose

this is me
before the woman i looked up to tore me down
before i realized the woman i was standing next to was not so heroic after all

this is me
before i lost myself
before i found myself again
before i learned that the world is full of bad people
but it's also full of wonderful people
before i forgot how to love myself and others
before i remembered again

this was me
but it isn't me anymore