Second Wind

To die a bit each passing day,
as ashes drift then fade away.
Colorful hues become pale gray,
a haunting path leads hopes astray.

Choke from the words that scream inside,
suffocates every ounce of pride.
Exposes all her true self hides,
allowing misery to guide.

Gain smiles from all by being fake,
a heart of steel could never break,
yet everyday emotions ache,
knowing her life is a mistake.

Walks to the edge, meets a light flash,
sways side to side as feelings crash,
takes two steps back, old hopes rehash,
sadness and fears thrown in the trash.

Moved far from that hollow old shell,
free from what felt like a cursed spell.
A beaming laugh she carries well,
her sincere stories she now tells.

Grateful to live in her own skin,
each moment helps a mark begin.
Amazed at how perspectives spin,
showing how faith can always win.

– Grace Y. Estevez – Reddy

My poem Second Wind, was published at Spillwords on August 30, 2022. In light of my recent nomination for Author of the Year by Spillwords Press, I have decided to re-share some of my previously published work. It has taken me years to find the courage to publish anything I have written, so you can only imagine what this nomination means to me. If you enjoy my poetry, I would really appreciate it if you could take a moment to vote for me. General Voting will be officially held from
1/26 (Thursday) – 1/31 (Tuesday) and will be conducted via this page: https://spillwords.com/vote/. Thank you so much for all of your support during these past two years. In that time, you have all inspired me to write over 1,450 poems. I am so grateful to this amazing WordPress community. 💕

I would also like to thank Dagmara K, and the whole team at Spillwords for the nominations and for publishing my poems/interviews. I truly appreciate their continued support. 💕