sandpaper arms have roughened me up with bruises,
brushed and scraped and whittled down,
so i must stitch back together shavings and shards to recreate a new me,
discard this body and upgrade 2.0,
resilient and resolute — strength is not being impervious to pain but rather withstanding it.
can you stay soft and open when the world runs cold and cruel?
take off your armor if you want to wear the badge of bravery.