I am born from my mother's gentle touch 

I am from my father's way with words 

I am from a bird's song and bare feet running through tall grass in the spring 

 

I inhale my mother's bosom 

and exhale my father's cooking on the grill 

My lungs are filled with my grandfather's musky cologne 

and the smell of waffles in the morning 

 

I shed tears for injured animals and the death of a loved one 

Shouts of joy escape my lips 

for good music, friends, or just a really good book 

 

My hands get lost in my mother's hair 

with acrylic paint still shoved under the fingernails 

I'll push away the darkness of rejection and spiders so that I can bask in the light of contentment 

 

I vow that I will be from joy, love, and growth 

because I hold the reigns to my own destiny 

I belong to myself 

I am my own