Page 145 of The Temptation of Truth

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through all the Shadow-Screams

& i dared to whisper

“i am”

which was the Loudest Light

i’d ever known.

Be Light, She said,

so I did.

and I was.

and I am.

and the dark forgot.

but I never will.

The poem takes my breath away.

It’s about me. I know it is. I’m theShe.I’m the one who told her to be light. I am so fucking happy to see that my words impacted her, because she made an impact on me. I read the poem three more times just to feel closer to her. Each time I do, her voice becomes stronger in my ears, as if she’s reading it to me.

I flip to the next page and find a polaroid of a flower withJardin Majorelle, April 2ndwritten across the bottom in black marker. There are several pressed flowers taped to the sides of the page, and a second poem in the middle written with the same purple pen as the first.

if the void has teeth

& you’ve fed it your voice

(all of your everything)

rest.

let silence hold

your throat

like petals hold

the morning dew

soft.

heal the breaks,

nurture the bud,

(tiny though it may be)

Then, when you’re ready,

drop your jaw

and

ROAR

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