Make it Reign

March 2022 

I am queen of the frizzy bun,

of perfumed cardigans. 

Of leftover omelets and one cup of coffee.

Of slippers, rose gold accessories,

and scarves, 

of dangly earrings that are twenty years old.

Queen of short-term relationships,

long-term friendships,

lost-connections,

and reconnecting after years have passed.

Of keeping in touch with a community i have hand-selected.

Queen of making lists, and then making other lists of what i actually accomplished

Queen of comfort. Of delicious delicacies my taste-buds delight in,

of recipes my hands take care to prepare, 

of the finer things, 

and queen of cutting back 

because sometimes life is a little too rich.

I am the queen of making sure my days are not monotonous.

Always finding something to feel intrigued, entertained, fulfilled.

I am the queen of never being bored.

Queen of hanging onto birthday cards and valentines from my family. 

And of knick-knacks tied to memories of where I've come from.

Of photos that never made it into an album. Some with faces I have forgotten.

Of candles, soaps, and sample size make-up.

Queen of journals. Filled and empty, waiting.

Queen of computer files with decades of ideas,

and unfinished books, 

because the story I'm living is always the most interesting.

Queen of long phone conversations, and enjoying time with

friends and family.

I am queen of looking out for my energy,

and avoiding environments where I will be expected to perform.

Queen of being drawn to the people and places who bring out my best,

where my vulnerability is never mistaken for weakness,

and reciprocity is the currency for candid communication.

I am queen of celebration, of not just surviving, of

finding joy in the most mundane or ordinary. I am 

queen of gratitude.

Never over a land, region, or people,

never more so than any other regal entity.

Powerful with people,

and in spite of myself, 

powerful within myself

for myself. 

My reign has just begun.