Now She Understood Her Poem by Callisse J. DeTerre

She wanted healing for them both.
Just once uttered pain subtly controlled.
Rarely feeling safe to want or need,
rejecting what hurt to think or believe.
Now she understood her.

She just wanted her feelings to be believed.
Couldn't be repeated in any way.
The anger, buried so many years for children's sake,
stirred and surfaced, still unaware of the buried shame.
Now she forgave her.

She prays, 'Lord, please cure the hurt beneath
the learned denial of my reality.
Let Your love replace fear with serenity,
Let pure joy prevail and full faith in You be freed.'
Now she prayed for her.

Aching for her feelings to be honored,
never expecting their realities to agree,
She prays to God again, 'Do not let her perceive
any demand in my desire to be fully received.'
Now she loved her.