To be soft
I want to be soft
not hard
Like warmed butter
not shard.
I want to feel the layers of armor peel
off my back
as the shell begins to crack
only to reveal softened scars
where the shards
once were.
The armor meant to defend
Had barbed its wire
Inward.
Put the armor on the shelf
and rest,
dear soldier,
rest.
Like sore muscles giving in
To fleece kisses on bare flesh,
melt,
And let it all be
felt.
I want to be soft
Admiring armor aloft
A reminder that even metal
That refuses to relent
Eventually succumbs
To a dent.
You’re only human and doing your best.
Remember there’s still a beating heart
Behind the walls of a steel vest.
None of us know what’s coming next.
Hardness is learned
But softness,
doesn’t have to be earned.
