Turning against our tenderness

When we were young

We sought the soft

But often kind and loving available faces

Were turned away

So often we were told

Stop your crying

It didn’t hurt that much

You are just being

A bloody drama queen

But deep inside our body

We knew what hurt

And what went against the true needs, values and feelings of

Our deepest self

There are some things

We do not need to ‘just get over’

There are some wounds that run so deep

They will always leave permanent scars

The point being

How tenderly did we treat ourselves

In the midst of injury

And how often were we asked to deny the truth

And in so doing

Forced into abandoning ourselves?

Do not be led astray by those who have

Not one decent shred of

Care or feeling

Do your necessary grief work

And deep healing

Because

Really when it comes down to it

You need nobody’s permission

To feel the pain that you do