Coming Back

By Millicent Sykes

I did not realize how much warmth meant to me

To be deprived seems like an understatement, now that I am able to about face

Coldness felt like the blanketing of snow

Aesthetically pleasing when not close

Feels so good to have warmth again

Returning home to a place that for the longest time did not feel safe

Recognizing the new decoration, furniture, and character

Acknowledging the estrangement

Lack of sense of belonging, lack of understanding, and lack of connection

I’m back

This time will be different (a cliché I am aware)

“It’s not about the going, it’s about the coming”

Looking forward to this rebirth and overwhelming sense of newness

Welcome back warmth, I am ready to stay vibrant