Teach me the opposite of disappearing
Teach me how to be, alone and apart
How to be still, how to be silent
How to count my breaths between thoughts
Teach me how to be brave
To face everything with my natural armor and still allow room
To feel around it
Teach me to touch my own skin
Teach me how to be vulnerable
Teach me how to be kind

I want to learn to love
The lines my bra leaves on my shoulders
The folds of skin that hang over my belt
The freckles in all the wrong places, spotting my lily skin
Marks of beauty, of pain
I want to love the lines on my arms
The textured zig zags that kiss my thighs
Raised memories, tangible hatred
I want to learn to love