Esteem Poem by Mfonobong Nelson

See her caught in the web of her shame
Yesterday's memories just won't let her go
See her shrivelling as a cord strikes
She feels she stinks because of what she's been through

See her unable to move, unable to go on
She can't go back to the past either,
See her so degraded she thinks she's so filthy
Her past just seems to consume her

Look at her, yesterday's wounds refuse to heal
Look, the abuses of yesterday torture her mind
The chains of the past just lock her in
Making her a prisoner of her own self

Look, behold a grace so pure, so true
Seeking to free her and heal her wounds
See, all she's got to do is stand up
And look beyond yesterday to the future
Grace says to her, the past is gone
Grace tells her you can build tomorrow
All she's got to do is let yesterday go
Together with the tortures, abuses and agonies

See she can conquer, she can win
See she can stand up from the ashes of grief
See she can smile, she can laugh
Only if she lets yesterday go