Bolder.

I am becoming more bold,
even if I'm the only one to notice.
I'm bolder than my coffee,
waiting to be consumed then forgotten,
bolder than my active resistance against a
house that wants to bury me here.

I recognize my worth more frequently,
deciding not to let a flood of makeshift
apologies leave my mouth and stain my truth.

I've been standing up for myself in
subtle, yet monumental, ways.

I wear a bracelet colored with courage,
though I still have a tendency to shy away
when someone stares too long.

My pride and confidence are on full
display in a new, frightening light.
I work hard to redirect the automatic
thoughts of "what will they think of me?".

But, I find strength when others make
a genuine effort, when I'm included,
not treated like an outsider - an oddity.

I am becoming more bold, secure, and steady,
in all the ways I've always dreamed of.