I don’t need nerves of steel
To be allowed to grow and heal.
My tears make me a warrior.
Call me sensitive, if you will,
Emotions don’t scare me —
I’ve had my fill.
My tears make me a warrior.
It takes courage to face the things I’ve seen.
Bliss, pain, and everything in between.
My tears make me a warrior.
Depression, sadness, and despair?
Bitter and angry beyond repair?
My tears make me a warrior.
I may scream;
I just might cry.
I won’t pretend
Something’s in my eye.
I have no need
To hide or deny.
Ask about my feelings?
Let me demystify —
My tears make me a warrior.
I don’t need to act tough.
Reality is enough.
It takes guts to cry,
That’s why I’m so fly—
My tears make me a warrior.
NaPoWriMo.net Day 8
“Today I’d like to challenge you to write a poem that relies on repetition. It can be repetition of a phrase, or just a word. Need a couple of examples? Try “The Bells” by Edgar Allan Poe, or Joy Harjo’s “She Had Some Horses”. Poe’s poem creates a relentless, clanging effect through the repetition of the word “bells,” while Harjo’s repeated use of the phrase “she had some horses” and variations thereof gives her poem poem its incantatory effect, while also deepening its central philosophical conceit of what things are the same and what things are different.”
The Read-e-ologist 
I did not see this before I posted How Are We to Heal, but it does contain repetition. I won’t spam your comment field with the link, but it’s my most recent post and shouldn’t be too hard to find if you’d like to take a look.
I read your “How Are We to Heal.” Snaps to you, Thomas. It looks like you are trying to do NaPoWriMo and follow the Daily Prompts too. I love this month! I peeked at some of your other writing while I was visiting.
Thank you so much. I don’t think I can commit to NaPoWriMo and Daily Prompt! When do you sleep!? 🙂
Sleep?
Lol…
I’m working on my doctorate, so I barely blog (or sleep). During April, however, I find myself sneaking away from my research, sometimes. Poetry is my therapy.
Yes. Having outlets to escape the pressure. So needed. What area?
Literacy- I am doing a discourse analysis of how conversations about literature play a part in the development of empathy. I just looked at some of your stuff about creative cognition. Awesome!
Wow. Great topic. So, conversations can either enhance or detract from the effects of just reading?
Yes. Although, I was paying more attention to how conversations enhance the effects. Maybe I should look into the ways that conversation can negatively impact the effects of reading. Hmm.
Oh…no…just wondering. I hope the main effect is enhancement.
❤️