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Bound,
not for an eternity
Transient, this existence

Untethered,
bond with freedom
Know the boundaries
You never raised your voice,
but you never listened, either.
I learned to smile
while shrinking quieter.

I gave and gave
until I bent,
and still you asked
where all the warmth went.

It’s not rage—
not fire, not storm.
Just the slow erosion
of keeping form.

Tiny cuts,
dismissed as small.
You said, “Don’t take it personal.”
I took it all.

Now I nod and pour your tea,
but something’s hollow in my chest.
You never broke me loudly—
you wore me out
like all the rest.
My portrayal of emotional erosion in a quiet, imbalanced relationship—one where neglect, dismissal, and subtle invalidation cause deep damage over time.
If I were to leave tomorrow,
would you ever remember me?
would you visit my grave -
Is that how you'd remember me?
Or would you turn me
into a poem of yours,
and keep me alive through you?
 May 30 Pavin Daniel
Cheryl
I've seen things,
Ive felt things,
I've been numb -
lost my voice
to trauma.

I'm battle-scarred,
I'm wounded.
I've bled more than blood -
I've bled silence,
I've bled truth,
I've held my tongue.

I've crawled out of darkness,
fought to feel again,
walked at 2 a.m
In the pouring rain.

I've lied,
to hide my pain.

I've stood up,
l've not stayed down -
I've adjusted
my worn-out crown.
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