Cause

 I’ve come

To terms

That my worth

Doesn’t come

From what

Is thought of me

I’m not a star

No athletic talent

Not loud 

Introverted

A little stoic

I have masks

For each emotion 

I’ve hidden

Everything

But my heart 

Knows the lie

Must end

I have Cerebral Palsy 

I’m just learning

How to not

Let the truth

Of my condition

Determine the health

Of my happiness

Late blooming

Takes on different meanings

And I’m finally

Surfacing for air

Clawing from 

Obscurity

To proudly declare

I don’t know

Who I am yet

But I know 

Who I’m not

I’d given up 

Hope when 

My hopes

Seemed

To become

Old wineskins

And then 

I realized 

I was trying

To pour new

Experiences

Into old vessels

It doesn’t work

It’s taken

40 years

To want 

To get acquainted

With myself

It’s only

Because

What I wanted

Needed most

Was healing

It wasn’t going

To happen

Until I gave

Forgiveness

To self

For something

I didn’t cause