From Oppression Comes Light

Since I left you, I feel free. My soul is no longer trapped

to yours.

Like a bird learning to fly, I have regained the wings that

had been cut off from me.

Out of the ashes, I no longer surrender to carnal love. My

consuming desire gravitates towards the air, away from

my own prison.

I thought the most beautiful thing in the world was to feel

the joy of his hands, warm and protective.

But I wasn’t happy. Soon reality hit me like cold water in

the morning. I want to rejoice in my loneliness, stitching

my heart from old wounds. I’d rather feel the cold of my

bones at night than share my bed with a fool.

I let you go without crying. My tears evaporated a long

time ago like dust. Are those faces of love long gone?

I have room in me for love, but my eyes are fixed within

the parameters of finding myself again. I will grow old

and forget your name; I am not cruel, only truthful.

©Stephanie Ortéz 2016

Stephanie is a highly caffeinated mother of two wonderful boys. She is hopelessly addicted to nonfiction books and literature that moves her to tears. She is an admissions advisor for George Washington University online where she assists homeschooled students internationally. Stephanie lives with Bipolar Disorder, PTSD, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. She is a passionate mental health advocate. Her writing has been featured on Stigma Fighters, Organic Coffee Haphazardly and The Feminine Collective. Find her brilliant words at Collected Essays of The Anxious Mind.