Some thought her broken
Even brittle

But all the brittle
Had broken away
In countless storms

What remained
Was hardened
Tenacious

She’d shed many facades
Until what was left
Was what she chose
To keep

She kept nothing
For perfunctory friendships
Or pettiness

Able to withstand any hardship
She chose carefully
What to stand for

And who

Content in gentleness
She suffered no one
Who drove hard upon her shores

If some thought
Walking away made her weak
She walked away
While they washed out to sea