Coming of Age

May you emerge bravely
from that tight, sad place
which breeds such desperate loneliness
in the family-sized scrabble
to be seen, to find respect
(the sense of home
so compromised by struggle)

It might be best
for you each to forge your way alone —
leave the family voices
behind for a while —
The love is there,
but its application
is an advanced problem —
better to start with the relative ease
of friendly strangers . . .

May you invent yourselves —
find a new face that will
let you give voice
to who you’ve always been
but haven’t dared express,
May the broad sky embrace your courage,
May you gain comfort
in the arms of new-found friends.

©Wendy Mulhern
January 9, 2014

4 thoughts on “Coming of Age

  1. Giving your comments a try. Reading this I pictured and found myself wondering whether the inspiration came from someone who recently has become very cuddly and is coming of age.

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