With words that burn and bite and sting,

they creep up on your mind and ring

until you no longer sleep at night.

There are sounds and smells

that remind you of days passed,

dark memories of your own mistakes,

wrong choices,

your trauma.

But with every breath you take

and day you wake,

time goes on.

The months and years

wrap up your fears of yesterday,

and time grows on you.

Like the moss on the tree

their rings carve their history

and feed your soul,

with the time it takes to move on,

to keep growing.

Our past doesn't leave us

but instead we age within ourselves,

and time gifts us

with new chances to become who we are,

remembering what we've done,

to help shape who we become.

The waves that break and crash

send ripples of possibility to your bedside table.

In your dreams the tides take your worries

and turn and tossle them in the current,

mixing your fears into excitement

for what's to come.