Bold and Mighty

To Viola,

As I write these lines,

Shame courses through my veins,

Clawing beneath my skin

Sending my heart into a frenzied dance

How do I articulate the sensation

Of witnessing your revelation?

Bare.

You stood before us

Stripped of the armor

The façade we so carefully craft

It felt like stumbling upon

A hidden wound

A stranger’s nakedness,

The discomfort, the shock

Of recognizing in you

What I was taught to conceal

Are etched in my psyche

Masks lowered,

Wig off,

Revealing authentic, coily 4C hair—

My hair

There you were

In all your self-assuredness and vulnerability

In that moment,

My rejection of you mirrored

My own self-hatred,

A reflection of the journey

You unwittingly paved for me.

I apologize, Viola,

For projecting my insecurities onto you,

For failing to celebrate your power,

For not acknowledging

The path you traced for us both.

In your unapologetic authenticity,

I found solace,

I found strength,

And the courage to embrace

The beauty of my naked self

Thank you, Viola

For showing me the way

For daring to bare your truth

And helping me make peace

With my own reflection

Magdalee Brunache