You  The words &

You

The words “I love you” used to be accompanied by shame,

Not your shame of course, but mine, the one who always was to blame,

And its friend guilt would be the third wheel, ever present in my brain.

The words “Why, don't you love me?” used to be accompanied by panic,

Because I knew you’d just ignore me when I said you couldn’t have it,

Which I guess is why I’m still so afraid to be intimate, I admit.

And of course you couldn’t hit me or beat me,

Because that would have been too easy,

Instead you chose to use me and abuse me,

In only the way that I could see.

All this is why I hated me.

But you are out of my life, at least in a physical sense,

I have someone new now, a first line of defense,

Against your reminders that still make me tense.

The words “I love you” are now accompanied by joy,

Because to him I’m more than his plaything, his toy,

He supports me the way you tried to destroy.

The words “Why, don't you love me?” are never even said,

Because he's not just concerned with what's happening in my bed,

He doesn’t question my “no”, he respects me instead.