nothing you can take from me (pt. 1)

nothing taken from me
is anything i want to keep.
slips from my fingertips
suddenly mean nothing.

i'm ravaging,
scrapping,
searching for things that can be taken from me—
when all i need
is the one my soul keeps.

my soul-keeper will never be taken from me.
His presence—closer, closer than ever—
makes me feel better.

this world has stolen.
this world has taken
my innocence,
again and again.

what's been stolen,
i've taken back at last:
God made me,
me—
who i am,
the essence of me when no one is around.

i laugh by myself,
read books for pleasure,
get caught in the melodies of songs
that mean more to my heart than i can measure.

i walk in the streets with my bare feet,
pick a flower or two,
put on a nice outfit just to feel brand new.
brush my stringy hair,
dance in my bedroom,
fall in love with Jesus—let Him consume.

i sit at my desk,
read my Bible like morning grass with the dew,
soaking into me like a brand new green leaf.
i breathe in this life
like the trees that keep me alive.
i skip a beat in my chest
because i either feel it all—
or nothing.

read pt 2 of “nothing you can take from me” here.

this poem is inspired by the song “nothing you can take from me” performed in the Hunger Games movie: the ballad of songbirds & snakes.