Strength

When I look back back to my yesteryears,

I am unrecognizable.

The girl who’s reflection I now see

Is not who I was.

I was undefensive,

Letting others talk down on me and judge my being.

The names I was called clouded my self-discovery.

The more I was judged,

The more I believed the lies.

I lost myself.

I drowned in the sea of negativity

Knowing

I couldn’t show my true colors.

I opened myself up like a butterfly opening their wings for the first time

And

I metamorphosed.

I stopped listening to the voices,

The voices that determined my identity for me

And I proclaimed that I was the only one,

The only one that was going to choose who I was.

The vocal chains of criticism fell of my arms

And.

I stopped being the shy, quiet girl I was so used to

I let my be heard.

I deserve respect,

I deserve kindness.

There wasn’t going to be anyone out there to defend me,

I was going to have to learn.

It was going to be hard, but it had to be done.

I was done of being treated as if I was nothing

Because

I am not nothing.

I’m everything.

I now know that I am strong.

Stronger than a hurricane.