Unfolded

The corners came undone long ago.

Slowly unfurling from where we tuck them in

tight

so incredibly tight…

The place where we come to a point pulls in all four directions.

Reaching out…

white fabric flapping softly in the breeze…

Waiting.

But we refuse to pick up speed

and white only stays white for so long

and winds change rapidly…

violently.

We feel our souls exposed to an unfamiliar cold

one that means banishment

isolation

and a wave of anger.

We pull in our corners

tuck them under our waning faith

promise them they’ll see the light again someday

and dye the fabric black…

then blue…

then the colors of pain…

and repression.

Until it turns an ugly shade of brown

that can’t hide us anymore.

We pull at the corners

rip them out from under the weight of our childhood

the expectations of our families

the judgment of our neighbors

the fear of a false messiah

and let the shit colored fabric free from the heavy rocks we stoned ourselves with.

And then it’s done.

We have left the fold.

Unfolded.