50 YEARS IN MY SKIN by Tracie Nichols

A few years ago during a whimsical conversation a friend asked if I had a body part that I liked the most...

Without thinking much, I declared it to be my toes. They’re a point of connection with the earth. They give me stability when I stand and the means of moving rapidly from one stance or posture to another. And, when they wiggle - I giggle. It was, after all, a whimsical conversation.

Her question popped into my head again a few days later and niggled at me. After a few more days, this poem fell out of my heart.

I was immediately struck by the realization that while this poem authentically describes how I feel about my aging, softening, Buddha-round, imperfect body, it’s not how I most often act or talk about myself. I act as if I am broken and must be fixed, or as if I’m damaged and should be avoided or even discarded. I act the way I’ve been socialized to act.

That disconnect between what I believe about my body and how I act about it may prompt a whole other poem, I think….

Pictured is the author photographed by Rachel Beck

50 Years in My Skin

by Tracie Nichols

there’s something

richly

beautiful

sacred

about the

lengthening swell

of breasts

and belly

silvery scar-rivers

memorializing

expansions

accommodating

womb-borne

children

and soul-

borne wounds

tracing

paths

where

pleasure

has been

given

and

received

50 years in

everything

about me

is softer

even the fierce

heart-fire

gleaming

in my eyes

these days

it warms

and invites

though once

(if I’m to

believe my memories)

it incited

(Find more of Tracie's poetry in our new book here)

Pictured is the author by Rachel Beck

Tracie Nichols has written poetry since she was 11 years old. While most of her early works are gone (this is probably a good thing) she continues to scribble poems at odd hours about everything from the state of her soul to the sounds of her kitchen. In truth, though, her poetic heart belongs to the deep green places of our wildly, fiercely, sacred, earth. When she isn’t making poetry with words she’s listening to the whispers of the green world, making alchemy with plants and stones and moonlight wildness. Tracie blogs, shares resources and generally nurtures at her website here. Connect with her also on Twitter or Facebook.

~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~

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