Congratulations

You did it,

Bested the darkness,

Triumphed over the encroaching predator,

Raised your shield in victory,

You have truly earned

These moments in the sun.

I see now,

Your soul has been long deprived

From the glories of sunlight,

I see now,

How tarnished and beaten you are,

Your wounds are aplenty,

I see now,

You were long forgotten,

Your invisible fight cast aside by the ignorant.

But sleep now sweet one,

I will hold you

While you cry,

While you scream,

While you plea,

You are a survivor,
And I will treat you like one.

You have earned many scars,

Deep and painful,

Unlike any of the physical body,

Not many can understand

What you are going through,

The pain that riddles your mind and soul,

Never have I witnessed such true horrors,

You see,

I am a victim myself,

But I have only felt,

Never witnessed.

Like an insistent gnat,

Twirling and weaving around your head,

Dodging your every attempt to annihilate him,

Then morphing into a python,

Encroaching upon your personal space

And choking you of your precious oxygen,

The darkness seems innocent at first,

And then soon takes over every aspect of your life,

No more will you find

Innocent happiness,

Genuine laughter,

Or Persevering smiles,

Only Desolation,

Anxiety,

And Fear.

But you have survived,

Little one you can rest now,

I will protect you

From the demons that enclose your mind,

My arms will act as your shield,

My words as your sword,

And my mind as your horse,

You have been entrenched in this war for too long,
Let me take your place,

So that you can rest.

Sleep now,

Close your eyes and lay your head down to rest,

I will carry you through the forests,

No more need you worry

About the cautious enemy,

I will fight them off for you,

Protect you from their gnashing teeth,

No more scars will you earn,

No more need you decorate your skin,

I am here,

I will absorb your pain.

Sleep now little one,

I love you.