To all the men I have loved before,
You threw me into a river, believing I’d drown—
but my heart became one with the current,
and I realized I had no reason to be worried.
Gently, I flowed into larger waters,
where your hooks and lines
searched eagerly to find me.
But life, in its grace, kept me beyond your reach.
You could never entrap me—
never gain what you could not give.
Each day you came with your rod,
but the waters had learned your agenda—
plans to capture parts of me
for boast, for fun, for accomplishment;
never knowing the taste of passion‑fueled joy.
The river carried me
to lands that knew how to hold me,
where the sky understood the seasons of bliss.
Not to slow me down,
but to lift me higher—
toward the mountains.
As I survived you each day,
I began to see the blessing that is my heart—
the joy in my life.
I remembered the feel of the waters,
took comfort in its guidance,
and made it my mentor.
It reminded me of the flow I carry,
the stretch,
the depth I embody.
I moved forward, never looking back,
never regretting the journey.
I carried on
because the earth knows how to make me whole.
To all the men I have loved before,
You are who you are.
And I am Who I Am.
The earth, the wind, the stars, and the water—
Grounding and progression—
this is my essence.
And so,
I’ll always live.
-Nnenna
Nene's Corner 