your words cut so deep,
tearing at me,
wounding to the core,
testing who i am
and the man i want to be,
testing the boundaries
of what is right and what is easy,
not sure of what I will do.

i know i'll be fine.
i've been here before,
and i'm stronger than i was,
worth more to me than i was ever told,
and i know this can't defeat me.

i'll heal from your words,
i'll heal from your cuts,
i'll heal from the gunshot,
i'll heal.

somehow, i will.