Shifting
Ajune’s past was
scratched off and abandoned,
an old snake’s skin left to decay on the couch.

Free of old fears,
unblinded eyes registered
the beauty of the moment as each box filled.

Youth is moved through
trembling fingers, shifting
innocence from the present into the past.

The ones who should
shelter and care, instead
crumple pictures and faces, turning away.

The last scene of
a bystander life fades
into an exciting new play called Freedom.

Family should love.
But the freed soul can shine
from within, blooming with courageous self-love.

Shedding hurtful
perspectives and cruel words,
Ajune passed through, into a hopeful future.