She was a shy little girl
But the years saw her follow a dazzlebright dream
Sometimes salty with her tears, but free and blazing and true, that spotlight
the place where fear faces down a mighty shout
and the shout wins
Keeping it upright for so long, night after night, year after year, life after the death of innocence and rebirth into a style that was right and real
She had more class in her little finger than those girls from school had in their bigass suburban bedroom closets
She was a gold mine of good stories and
the kind of crooked wisdom that comes from living out loud and voraciously
“This life is mine,” she said
“This room is better for having me in it,” she breathed
And they knew she was right
© 2019 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For The Sunday Whirl, the words were style, finger, light, mine, shy, salt, collide. Also follow, cats, and a couple of others, but I didn’t have the wherewithal after a full day of church to get them all in!! Peace, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
oldegg
Hello Amy, It is so good to find you posting here and keeping up your unique style of writing. Let’s hope we see and read more of your writing on the blogs that still survive!
Renee Espriu
I love this poem, Amy. I am, actually, just now at age 67 realizing that perhaps, the world is a better place for me being here. To realize how important you are come to some later than to others. But better late than never…as they say. I hope you are well.
sharplittlepencil
Thanks so much for stopping by, Renee. I will see you on your blog! And you know what? It took me years to realize that I had earned “my seat at the table” simply by being myself. We all need that confidence.
jaerose37
So good to read your work again Amy – a dazzling piece of flash – and thanks for your visit, hope you are well
sharplittlepencil
I am well, Jae. So good to see you here. Will be posting more, I think. A
Roger
Amy – you IS FIERCE! As always!
sharplittlepencil
Awww, shucks, Rog. LOL