My Vertebrae Story

I don't know what it is.

It rattles inside,
bones stacked upon bones,
curved and twisted.

Its story peers sometimes
from around the edges of fairy wings.
Waves hello, then is lost among
the miasma of raw emotions,
the stagnant cesspool of
anger -
fear -
sadness - - - - -

the charm of the story is that it sticks around,
an old friend saying hello again and again.
Sometimes even getting so far as to say -

it's ok to love yourself.
it's ok to be yourself.

then lost again.
then found again.

my vertebrae story, my real me,
essential
unique
beautiful.

spirit led me to my vertebrae story.

so, more often, i hear the whisper of

hello.

it's ok to love yourself.
it's ok to be yourself.

my vertebra straighten,
my muscles strengthen,
my heart quakes.
I am lost in the beauty of my own vertebrae.
how can i be me when i have never been me?

the essential me?
the spiritual me?
the unburdened me?
the lightened me?

I breathe.

I have faith in Spirit, God, Goddess, Higher Power, Mystery
to heal me
to teach me patience
to teach me love
to teach me honesty.
i reach out to you -
you beautiful people
'god with skin on',
you beautiful people with
vertebrae stories of your own,
magnificent and splendorous.
you say to me,
WE are 'gods with skins on'
WE are ok to be, simply be.