let me take it all
he says
give it all up to me
no need to carry
any at all

and the love is too much
something struggles to
hand it all over
to feel worthy
of total freedom

the burdens feel
like me
mine to carry
my shame
my penance

but
he says
there was no crime
it never happened

total freedom
is yours
(and always was)
you can just

let
it
go

i can't
i say
and he says
that's ok
i will sit here beside you
as i have
for eternity

and the love
overwhelms
it seeps into the cracks
of my brokenness
it shines light
into the dark corners
where the monsters
hide

they blink disbelieving
snarling and snapping
armoured and wary

and the light says to them
you are loved as you are

and they shrink back
deep into the black
untrusting
because how could that be?
so ugly, undeserving and unlovable
as i am

are you? the light asks
and it stays
and stays