On days that my eyes yearn
To meet the warmth from yours
But are lost somewhere in between,
My heart reeks of wounded ego;
A little seedling of validation wrapped up in shame:
Surely a strong woman has no need for such things
Surely a strong woman is capable of
Breathing self-love into all her golden scars
So that the holes in her mind
Become home to butterflies of the spring.
- SAMIHA KABIR