by Madison Helbig

Hair like pinwheels from the constant twirling,

hands crumpling my pockets.

I promise you I haven’t given up

on learning to love myself.

I threw away all of my sheet masks, unfollowed every

Instagram page exclaiming

Happiness is a choice.

Choose wisely.

I instead raided my brain’s lost and found

and found myself tossing a kite

towards the trees. I don’t want to be

a piece of bright plastic

on a dingy string, waiting for something

to sweep me away.

I want to be the wind.