Karen Owusu: On Self Love.

Baby girl,
Don’t wait
For any man to paint
A canvas for you.
Let your heart be on
Your own canvas;
Create.
Hold that paintbrush
With the grip of your hands.
Play some Sade
“You give me,
You give me the sweetest taboo”;
Listen while you
Paint yourself
On this summer day
Keep on loving you.

— Karen Owusu

**

Darling, be the love of your life. Don’t wait. You can dream, but don’t wait for someone to show you what love is. There is no more magic in loving yourself, than there is in him loving you; what’s more, he will love you better if only you’ll show him how to.

Your love is King. You are a Queen. Love yourself with every ounce of soul in you. People are fickle; they will awaken your desires, and run amok with fear; they will take a long time to be sure, and you will doubt them sometimes– but you, you will always have yourself. So nourish the self in you, selflessly; be the magic missing from the love that you seek. And then, it won’t matter if they come, or if they never do; or if they stay or choose to leave– because you, you will be your endless love.

_____

© The Short Black Girl, 2016.