Image via Instagram @warsanshiree

Happy Valentine’s Day fam! To celebrate love today, we are sharing quotes that inspire self-love. British-Somali author Warsan Shire writes powerfully introspective poetry that explore womanhood and how love and loving can be complicated in a patriarchal world.

In collections such as Blessed is the Daughter Raised by a Voice in her Head and Teaching My Mother to Give Birth, Shire treat difficult topics having to do with trauma and abuse. Notwithstanding, her writing is anchored on a fierce love of self. We hope these lines finds someone who, especially on Valentine’s Day, needs to be reminded to celebrate themselves.

 

1.  the year of being alone, and learning how much i like it. the year of hugging people i don’t know, because i want to know them. the year i made peace and love, right here.”

***

2. “and if he wants to leave
then let him leave
you are terrifying
and strange and beautiful
something not everyone knows how to love.”

***

3. “It’s not my responsibility to be beautiful. I’m not alive for that purpose. My existence is not about how desirable you find me.”

***

4. “You want me to be a tragic backdrop so that you can appear to be illuminated, so that people can say ‘Wow, isn’t he so terribly brave to love a girl who is so obviously sad?’ You think I’ll be the dark sky so you can be the star? I’ll swallow you whole.”

***

5. “make love
like you have no
secrets
like you’ve
never been
left
never been
hurt
like the world
don’t owe you a
single
wretched
thing.”

***

6. “Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself – what you’re wearing, who you’re around, what you’re doing. Recreate and repeat.”

***

7. “My alone feels so good, I’ll only have you if you’re sweeter than my solitude.”

***

8. I’m a lover without a lover.
I’m lovely and lonely.
I belong deeply to myself .”

***

9. “i hope i’ll always believe in love. even if love shames me and tries to destroy me, i hope i’ll want to start again.”