A poem by Sabrina Dunckley
Self-love is a hard thing to find,
It is something that is always on my mind.
I have struggled with it greatly over time,
But I desire to learn how to unwind.
Many nights I lie awake and cry,
Begging and pleading and wondering why.
Why is it so hard to love who I am?
Why is it so hard to understand?
Each day I wake, and I look in the mirror,
And that one simple phrase just couldn’t be clearer.
“Not enough,” says the voice in my head,
And I wish I could hear something else instead.
My heart is full, and intentions are pure,
Yet it is so hard to act as though I feel secure.
I want to love the things I have done,
But when asked what I’ve accomplished, I always say “none”.
I look at others and desire what they have,
A love from deep inside which makes them feel glad.
I want their confidence and beautiful golden hue,
And so, I’ll work hard until it's true for me too.
I must learn to be strong, and proud, and true,
And if I can learn it then you can too.
We must learn to have pride and power from within,
So we can feel comfortable in our own lovely skin.
Instead of being modest,
We must learn to be honest.
We must love who we are,
So we can soar and go far!
We must learn to turn away from our own hate,
And begin to love what is innate.
The life we have is an astonishing prize,
And should be seen as such through everyone’s eyes.
Author's Note:
I’ve never written a poem to completion before this one because I struggle with artistic expression. Though it can often be difficult to be candid about one’s struggles, this topic was simple to write about for me. Self-love is something I have grappled with all my life and have a tumultuous relationship with. I am finally at a point in my life where I really want to work on overcoming this struggle so that I can continue to blaze through my life with confidence and an eagerness to overcome any difficulties that may stand in my way. I only hope that this can inspire others to do the same.
Bio:
Sabrina Dunckley is a 20-year-old student, pursuing her passions of psychology and criminology, with which she plans to become a forensic psychologist. She studies at Hofstra University on Long Island, NY, not far from her hometown of Westchester County. She enjoys reading books, skiing, playing tennis, watching Netflix, petting her dog, Minnie, and spending quality time with her family and friends.