I don’t want to be put on a pedestal

I don’t want to be a trophy or a prize

Hanging onto somebody’s hand as if to say

“Look at me! Look at me! Aren’t I special! Aren’t I rare!”

I don’t want to be with someone just so that they can say

I’m theirs

Because I don’t belong to anyone but myself

And the sooner the next person who chooses to love me can realize that,

The better off both of us will be.

I don’t want to be with someone who’s addicted to something

Because it will just be a repeat of my childhood

And I know for a fact, I don’t deserve to come second.

I deserve to be worshipped and loved unconditionally

I deserve affection and attention and honesty

I deserve admiration and space and understanding

And most of all, I deserve compassion.

I don’t want to be with someone to fill in the other person’s blanks

Because I am not a puzzle peice

Or a drug.

The next time I fall in love, it better be with someone

Who knows what the **** they’re doing

Who knows the fragility of who they’re dealing with

Who won’t tell me they love me

And change their mind the next day.