I thought I’d know
By the way we spoke
I thought I’d know
By how we spent our time
I thought I’d know
By your consideration
By the joys we shared
By how we coped
By how we grieved
By how we cared
Your passions weren’t mine
And mine were garbage.
Not knowing myself
Makes love hard
I thought it was okay
To hear the things you
Said to me.
To allow the things you
Did to me.
Shame is a confusing emotion
Did I break your heart?
Am I responsible for this loss?
Is self-defense wrong?
Should I have stayed?
I’m sorry I hurt you
I’m sorry I didn’t know me
I’m sorry I figured it out
And ruined us.
What can be done
About past hurts?
I know me better now
I’m still learning
My navigation falters
And I repeat patterns
But I’m becoming familiar to me
My thoughts are mine
My actions are mine
My dreams are mine
I deserve them
What I love makes me who I am
I love me.
Effie Graves 