Use the night as ritual, baptise it friend

This is how the story goes; by day, the world's cruelty 

wears on forcing you to wither within yourself

tells you to wear yourself with shame,

that you have no right to love yourself

to take up as little space as possible

accommodate, adapt, apologise for the skin you are in,

But by night, oh my dear

use the night as ritual, baptise it friend

wash your hair with the moonlight till it shines,

Magic the torment into the divine

soothe yourself with the balm of self-love and affection

where their spite has seared your mind and body

This is how you practice self love

you recognise that there is no apology in your existence 

that your body's softness is also it's sacred 

Remember that not so long you were a child

with an innocence closer to God than this world could ever be

Do not allow it to eat the holy away 

Find that innocent child in you again

show them the kindness they need

Ask them to come out and play