She had fought so long to be here.
Crawled so far, her knees worn down to the bone.
Her hands had cracked and bled,
Flesh torn from weakened palms.
There were days when the darkness blinded her.
Days when she was sure it would have its way.
A cancer, growing in her blood, in her heart, in her mind.
It felt stronger than she could ever be.
Still she fought.
She pushed and pulled and screamed into the night.
The darkness whispered ''Give up"
She responded with words of light.
She responded with words of strength.
Slowly but surely, the darkness lifted.
It lifted and she began to see beauty again.
Beauty, love and the knowledge that she was stronger.
Knowledge that her wounds would heal,
and once again she would shine