Skin me alive and leave me be

-    and go.

I realize

I’ve been dipped in
your ocean for far too long,

I’ve been swimming around
inside you
I’ve been swaying my hips
back and forth
with the movement of your
majestic waves,
that I’ve forgotten how it feels
to be at the surface; to fly,
to light up the world
in red and orange,
to fill up the sky
with self-ignited
blaze.

I’ll rise like the sun,
declaring independence,
singing solidarity
and self-love.
The more I burn,
the more of myself
I throw into the fire,
the more beautiful my flame,

and I’ll shine this blinding light
to wipe out

the darkness,     me and my luminous heat
soaring high

above all else.