Self-respect is not me dismissing
my own emotions, it is not
excusing unprotected *** and disrespectful
texts because the ****** is better
than the silence;

no--- self-respect is not me crawling
down the street to fake-sleep
beside your smug form, only so that I may
cab home the next day and nap
away the pain;

self-respect is not what I have given myself
these past eight months, but I promise to fight
now because if you believe this poorly
labeled, loosely constructed
relationship allows you to **** her
with your clothes on in the corner
of the dance floor
while I am five feet from your
disgraceful ******* self, then I can find
the strength to delete every pleasant
memory from the place in my brain
that's been holding me back;

there are so many inches of my body and
my soul that you will never know (not that you
even thought to pry) and I will keep them safe
for the next deserving guy