You used to keep me safe,

out of harm's reach,

but now you suffocate any chances of showing the world who I can be. 

You refuse to let me go,

to let me grow into what I want to be. 

You cause me to stutter, to worry about what comes next. 

I'm up to my eyes in anxiety and stress.

You will no longer hold me back like an infant. 

Your grip on me will loosen, I am pulling harder.

You may increase the struggle and strife,

but I WILL become who I am meant to be.