take your time

i wash myself in tranquility;
the scent carries in my hair,
my skin, my smile. i scrub away
the dark thoughts,
brown sugar sticky on my skin,
i trace crescent moons
all over my stomach. caress
layers and layers of love
into my tired muscles. knead
the saplings of tropical
trees into my curls, press
the hot kiss of decadent creams
all over, lather the surface,
love the scars, the bumps, the mistakes. i heal
with each session, the key
is to: take your time. precious things
can be taken for granted
like self-love when you rush. did
the Lord rush when he
took the time to create
such complicated beings
fashioned in flesh and bone?