Tickled by your warm enthusiasm, M, much appreciated 🤓. I’ve actually never attempted to read this poem outloud, for what it reveals... Though, I’ve shared, publicly, such winking confidence:

I have been lavishly gifted a pain
as thick and rich as oil paint

By pushing it around the page
I have learned to make art

I understand what you mean when you say it’s not hard for you, any longer, and I believe/hope/pray that I’m, finally, moving out of these cramped, dark spaces and, tentatively, into the light...

One way that I’ve found helps is to view the past as necessary, somehow, a dark blessing required to take me to the next level (as person and artist). I hope that makes some sense to you 🙏🏼