Gifted

In my youth I was a long sleep,
a coma, a darkness. At night
my ghosts would come with
hatchets and knives, an army
of thieves who swindled my faith.

One by one I called their names:
pride, hunger, love, terror. One
by one I cut their arteries before
they had severed mine completely.

Let them lie like reddened stones.

Now I am a woman, healthy,
bright eyed; my heart has healed,
fog has lifted. See how clear
the senses sweeten with passing
time? I am alive, alive and gifted!