Pieces of Me
photo @guilhermestecanella
by Joyelle Brandt
What if i gathered up
all the pieces of myself
i’ve left behind
every time
i gave them away
in desperate trade
for some semblance of affection
when I mistakenly believed
that need = love?
When i gave away
my power
like monopoly money
unaware
that it had actual
value
Like fireflies
on an august night
I’d cup them gently
in my hands
and collect them in
a mason jar
to light my way
Home.