Goodbye Girlhood by Valerie Parente

She knew it,
the day her Girlhood was dead and gone
it wasn’t a loss of innocence
in fact, it wasn’t even a loss.

Instead of deprivation
she was filled with awe
that her Girlhood even existed
regardless of how long.

In its place
gratitude had spawned
and she didn’t lament
instead she felt strong.

She was enriched
by who she once was
and she returned to the earth
to give back to a greater cause.

There is a prize with death
when you see life from above
and from that vantage point
you know how far you’ve come.

You’ll never know it was worth it
until the end of the song
and when you listen from a distance
you’ll know you’re where you belong.

– Valerie Parente (2-16-2024)