you told me i was broken
because i didn’t act
the way you wanted
and i didn’t think
the way you wanted
and i believed you
i told myself to follow the rules
to color within the lines
to keep the voices inside
inside
where other people couldn’t hear them
so people wouldn’t think i was broken
because i didn’t act
the way they wanted
and i didn’t think
the way they wanted
and i believed them
it was more than a mask
the mask had the parts inside
i was ashamed of
but even behind the mask
and the mask over the mask
and the mask over the mask
i came to think i was broken
because i didn’t act
the way i wanted
and i didn’t think
the way i wanted
and i believed myself
but i don’t want that anymore
i don’t want to think that
my different thoughts aren’t broken
they are beautiful
they are the way that i am
those thoughts make me strong, not weak
those thoughts make me beautiful, not ugly
those thoughts make me whole, not shattered
you told me i was broken
but you were wrong
you were the one that tried to break me
and it’s time for me to stop believing you
11.28.21