Please don’t give me a hard time
I’m already carrying storms
Quiet ones
The kind that rattle the bones
But never make a sound
I’m trying to hold myself together
Patching cracks with hope
With patience
With whatever light I can still find
In the corners of a long week
I don’t need sharp words
Or cold shoulders
Or the kind of silence
That feels like punishment
I just need a moment
To breathe without breaking
If you can
Walk soft with me
Talk gentle
Remember I’m human
And hurting
And healing
All at once
Please don’t give me a hard time.
Give me grace
Give me space
Give me a chance
To rise again
Without being pushed down first