I got mixed messages about who I was supposed to be when I was a child. I got even more detailed, specific instruction about what I was supposed to do with that being.  I remember my mother insisting that I was supposed to be a writer! "You are going to be a writer!" she would say to me.

In the next breath, she would say, "Don't write anything down, it can be used against you!"

So what was I to do?

Get confused, primarily.

I also find that when I find myself against any sort of barrier, it helps to just let it out, whatever is wanting to speak. This short poem, fresh off the pencil, was inspired by this quote from Anais Nin: "Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it."  In moving my pencil, I was choosing to not remain in a state where the barrier had me in a mind-lock.

Felt so good to move that pencil and unclog myself.  So - here is what I wrote.

"Fresh from the pencil"

write. write. write.
just let the words fall onto the page
without effort just
let them out of your fingers
your arms your shoulders
your heart your soul
write. write. write.

The little one says "NO! Don't document!
Don't let people know the real you
Because then....

They
Won't
Like
YOU!

and
you
will
be
all
a
l
o
n
e

No. No. No.
Write. Write. Write.
Don't be afraid.
Don't
be
what
you
are
not.

Be.
You.
Now.
Love.
Love. Love.
Love. Love. Love.