Self-Portrait as Make-Believe
When I was five or six
my bedroom blossomed
with what my mother called
the pretending people.
Like a linchpin slipped
through the axle of a wheel
they must have held me
as flour binds
a tough cookie
protecting
the softness inside.
This poem first appeared in Full House Literary, and is from the chapbook consider the light by Kathi Crawford (Finishing Line Press) at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/consider-the-light-by-kathi-crawford/

After a successful career in organizational and leadership development, Kathi Crawford founded People Possibilities, LLC in 2008. Writing poetry has been an ongoing journey of learning and exploration for her. She has always been curious about human nature and the reasons behind our choices. Through her work, she hopes to spark dialogue about the challenges we face both collectively and individually. Her writing has been featured in a variety of literary journals, both online and in print. You can find her on Instagram or LinkedIn @kathicrawford. Subscribe to her blog at kathicrawford.com.