Evolve–

Words like rocks

Bruise.

Before then,

Eons had passed.

And In the middle of me,

void became reality.

Until…I dream in color.

A mondo release

for the fire within.

With ashes on my pillow

I weep.

But when I sleep

I rise above

and sing soprano

all the emotion of a lifetime

in 42 seconds!!

Until …

I drop

like

coals

into

a

burning

furnace

evolving into soot.

Then slowly, I rise again. Each time, differently.

Michelle Wintjen is a poet whose work explores themes of identity, memory, and resilience, often drawing from deeply personal experiences of loss and renewal. Her poetry reflects a life shaped by early grief and the search for meaning in its aftermath. Through her verse, she seeks to illuminate the quiet struggles of living up to expectations—both inherited and self-imposed—while also celebrating the strength found in vulnerability. Her work resonates with readers who find solace in the raw honesty of her voice, and she continues to build a reputation as a writer unafraid to confront the complexities of human emotion.