Exposed

Day after day
Month after month
Year after year
My skin has become cracked
Weathered by time
The cruel hand life dealt
Has not been kind nor gentle
Layer upon layer
Peeling away
The inner woman
Left naked and exposed
Feeling shame
Unclean
Alone
No amount of scrubbing
Takes away the filth
It only exposes more
How many layers will be revealed
Slowly the truth
Buried deep within
Emerges and is shown
To those around me
Rooted in the foundation of love
And understanding
From those of my kind
The skin of my soul heals
I become strong and beautiful
Like a butterfly
I am set free
From the cocoon of pain
I let it go
I am no longer afraid
To soar with newfound wings
To reach heights never before reached
A journey awaits me
A journey that brings strength and healing
At last the wounds that surround my heart are closed
I am finally at peace