I'm Not My Story: A Poetic Journey of Healing

By Swamini B

Paperback: 979-8-9926355-0-8

Hardcover: 979-8-9926355-1-5

eBook: 979-8-9926355-2-2

What if the pain of your past could unlock a strength you never knew you had?

Rooted in lived experience, I'm Not My Story: A Poetic Journey of Healing traces Swamini B.'s path from trauma to transformation.


Divided into three sections—“Turmoil,” “Insights,” and “Freedom”—each poem illuminates the journey from pain to the freedom of self-acceptance. While deeply personal, the book invites readers to reflect, release, and rediscover the resilience within themselves.


You are not defined by your past. You are sculpted by your resilience.

Extracts from the book:

DESPAIR'S CRY


A deep sorrow

grips my soul

a relentless ache

takes its toll.


My mind teeters

on the brink

like a ship in a storm

about to sink.


Into the silence

I scream in vain…

tears falling

like torrential rain.


Pain pierces

through to my core

I'm completely broken

sprawled out on the floor.



I must find a way

to lift this weight

before despair

dictates my fate.


PAST IN MOTION


When past and present

overlapped

I'd find myself

in a familiar trap.


Lost in a world

I once knew

old memories

distorting my view.


Unresolved emotions

I had to allow

confusing ... for no one

is hurting me now.


Realizing some emotions

don't belong in the present

I'm figuring out

which ones are relevant.


By grounding myself

in who I am today

I'm watching old fears

slowly fade away.


Emotions rise

and then depart

no longer holding dominion

over my heart.


With conscious effort

I take the reins

refusing to yield

to past-born pain.



Now when emotions

suddenly appear

I confront them boldly

with courage, not fear.


UNBROKEN SPIRIT


In shadows deep

silence emanates

a heart-wrenching grief

hard to penetrate.


A childhood stolen

innocence betrayed

yet my spirit

refused to be caged.


Sold and abused

stripped of my rights

despite it all

I reached for new heights.


Refusing to be like them

or mirror their pain

I reclaimed my life

I broke every chain.


Finding a part of myself

untouched by the abuse

turning wounds into wisdom

I paid my dues.


Sharing my story

no longer constrained

I hope to inspire others

to rise above their pain.


FINDING MY VOICE


From the world

I tried to hide

the thoughts and feelings

that I denied.


Fearful of people

invading my space

never truly

feeling safe.


Yet through these poems

I'm finding relief

from years of anguish

and deep-seated grief.


By voicing

what I think and feel

I release the pain

and let my heart heal.



Through the power of poetry

I've set my spirit free

unafraid and unashamed

to face my reality.


THE POWER OF CHOICE


The quality of my life

is something I choose

my thoughts determine

if I heal or stay bruised.


Questioning patterns

that no longer ring true

I release the ones

that influenced my view.


Thinking before speaking

tempers my reactions

creating space

for meaningful interactions.


Deciding with care

which thoughts I'll entertain

is much easier now

my mind has been trained.


As thoughts ebb and flow

like waves riding the tide

I engage with life

with awareness as my guide.


Firm in resolve

I chart my course

like a ship sailing

with a calm steady force.


NOTHING LEFT TO HIDE


Now that there's nothing

left to hide

I feel a pride

that flows from inside.


In awe of my journey

despite my plight

I honor my spirit

my will to fight.


As I crossed each bridge

hope would rise

with each step forward

fear met its demise.


No longer struggling

just to survive

I'm grateful for the gift

of feeling truly alive.


Voicing my truth

the impossible became possible

my inner wisdom

is surprisingly audible.


Internally guided

hidden truth exposed

I walk unafraid

heart open, not closed.


SWAMINI B is a poet and reflective writer whose work explores healing, resilience, and reclaiming identity beyond trauma.


Rooted in lived experience, she writes about what it means to face the past without being defined by it. Through poetry and reflection, her work traces the movement through grief, anger, fear, and self-doubt toward self-acceptance and a deeper trust in ourselves.


Her own healing journey as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse informs her writing. With honesty and clarity, she gives language to experiences that can be difficult to express and offers a reminder that we are not defined by our past. We are sculpted by our resilience.