No

No.

A word that poisons the rivers

that runs through my whole being.

No.

A snake’s coil that strangles the joy

that once lived in me.

No.

An arrow shot repeatedly

into the centre of my heart.

No.

The rift that silences

the love between us.

No.

An impenetrable wall

trapping me in my predicament.

No.

A prism that distorts

my vision of the world.

No.

A word that I repeat to myself

like a mantra

a reprimand

a reaction

a prison.

No

Becomes my armour

for what is unpleasant,

disagreeable and painful.

And so I lived in this No,

hidden behind the heavy armour,

stiff and fearful.

Until I chanced upon

a fragile flower, blooming

gracefully between the cracks

of the bare concrete pavement.

I wanted to bend down to touch it,

to breathe in its life,

but the armour clanked me into form.

So I awkwardly took off my armour,

one layer at a time,

then bent low to touch the delicate flower

that opened to me like a ‘yes’.

A smile brightened up my face,

as the chains of ‘No’ melted away.

Life held its arms out to me,

and I fell into its soothing embrace,

accepting it all without judgement,

then rocking to its lullaby,

I began to dance.