I know love the way I know how to swim.
Meaning I do not,
but I am open to learning again.
Love was drowning
and praying that someone would pull you out
from beneath the waves.
While physically unscathed,
I fear that the nightmares do more than keep me awake.
I learned to never let someone else be my life jacket
and to always keep my head above the water.
I learned love like I learned how to ride a bike.
Meaning the training wheels came off too soon,
and my confidence was humbled
as the hill overcame my strength and stability.
Love became helmets and bandaids.
I learned how to wrap wounds
and come to peace with the scars.
There are days I wish
I could have experienced a love
that I would not need to unlearn.
The memories fade
but the body never forgets
and while my heart
still weighs heavy in my chest,
I am so grateful for its healing.
Marie-Louise Naomie is a Cameroonian-American with an academic background in media, culture, and communication. She had always found herself drawn to different storytelling mediums and recently fell in love with the art of poetry. While she hopes to pursue writing full time in the future, she spends her free time baking, reading, and working out. She is also working on a poetry newsletter called “musings on love.”