“you’re only human”

you will never be
the monster in the mirror
it’s just made of glass

you will never be
the beast under the bedsheets
the bad dreams that stay

you can be more than
a collection of scar tissue
an unending reaction
collateral damage
an unburied body.

it takes time to notice how
you’ve shrugged weight off your shoulders
pound by kilo by pound
it rolls and melts away

you will never be
as sharp as the knife that made you
jagged as the teeth that bit you
as cruel as the fingers that tore you
to pieces in the shape of a mask

none of us are perfect, so
carry your imperfections with pride
these are the scars from your battle hardwon
rather than marks of the things that you’ve done
your body and mind and your memory is yours
so keep them well
and don’t be afraid.

you will never be
the criminal that you fear
you will never be
the shadow that cast over
you will never be
the predator that hunted
you will never be
the action or its echo

you can be more than
the fear that you’ll be like them.
the fear’s what makes you human –

and I am human, too.