I came across this title ‘our words matter’ in my journal, and it was blank. I had a minute and thought, well this is perfect, my 40 days of writing can be to share this today… so, a poem inspired by past me.

The voice in our minds
Is often born when we are little
Those early years
When grown ups are the gods
And we are learning
Soaking up the world
When we believe that what they say
Is the biggest and most important
Truth

From our time in the womb
We hear voices
And these voices
Stay with us
Sometimes forever

It might be

The voice that tells us we are
Beautiful
Smart
Loveable
Held

It can also be
The voice that pulls us down
Annoying
Dramatic
Naughty
Useless

The voices we carry,
From childhood
Through life
Are often those of our parents
Brothers
Sisters
Teachers
Friends
Though the latter less so

It makes me wonder
Not only about my own voices
But those my children will carry
It brings hope
And guilt
And curiosity
About the voices those around me
Have inside them too

Thanks for reading,

With love, Rohana x