In the shadows of the storm 

As I gaze at this version of me,  

A broken vessel, lost at sea.  

Defiled, devoid of love’s warm embrace,  

Hollowed out in this empty space.  

Wounds that ache and refuse to heal,  

A wildfire where despair is real,  

Consuming each cherished memory,  

Leaving behind a ghost of me.  

A fear that lingers, knows no end,  

A fleeting shadow, a weary friend.  

Life feels unworthy, a bitter jest,  

A withered bloom, denied its rest.  

Yet here I stand, a shattered vase,  

Clinging to hope in this dark place—  

An endless stream that slips away,  

Help me! Please, God, I pray!  

My silent plea lost in the whispers of the wind,  

A desperate call for strength to begin.  

The pain, a tide that pulls me down,  

Sinking beneath its weight, I drown.  

But in this darkness, I still fight—  

A flicker of a distant light.  

Perhaps a spark, a fragile thread,  

To pull me back from this abyss, dead.  

The storm inside rages on, unkind,  

Yet in its fury, I seek to find  

A strength unknown, a quiet flame  

That rises from the deepest shame.  

For in the cracks, the light may leak,  

In brokenness, we’re often made meek,  

But even weakness carries might,  

When clung to in the darkest night.  

So I stand, though weary, bruised,  

A soul in turmoil, yet still used.  

And though the road is hard and long,  

I find in silence, a rising song.  

I am more than sorrow, more than pain—  

I’ll rebuild from ash, from loss, from rain.

~Written by K.inthia

Twenty-Five [Updated Version]

At twenty-five, a weight upon my chest, 
Spring cleaning thoughts, seeking peace, seeking rest. 
Amidst the clutter, my heart felt so frail, 
Rebuilding my worth, as old dreams began to pale. 

Why did I chase what left me so hollow, 
A shattered reflection, a path hard to follow? 
Justifying choices wrapped in despair, 
Believing I didn’t deserve love’s tender care. 

Each lie a punishment, a chain tightly wound, 
Wondering in silence if hope could be found. 
The mirror’s gaze pierced, “Is this truly me?” 
In the depths of my struggle, I longed to be free. 

Self-reflection like fire, igniting the night, 
Unraveling whispers, reclaiming my light. 
At twenty-five, I rise from the pain, 
Embracing my journey, no longer in vain.

~ Written by K.inthia