I set sail from the island
that was our relationship
and headed out to sea,
hoping to find myself again.

I sailed through waters
filled with the years of us
This is usually where I turn back,
or drop anchor
too afraid to keep moving away.

But today,
with the wind at my back,
pushing me forward,
I saw a shoreline ahead.

It looked familiar.

When I docked
and set my feet in the sand,
I exhaled a breath
I hadn’t realised I was holding.
I knew then
this was the place.

There would be no going back.

I lit a match
and set the boat alight,
burning temptation
because I couldn’t trust myself.

As the flames took hold,
I looked back across the water
and noticed how murky it was,
something I hadn’t seen before.

Arriving home
to the island of me
with no map of the journey ahead,
only the knowing
that I was ready
to let go of what lay behind.

(They say when you are certain,
you burn the ship)