I hear a voice deep within,  
One that whispers shadows, urging me to give in.  
Yet I know I'm still here,  
Fighting through the doubt, pushing back the fear—  
With that voice in the back of my head...

It began when I was just nine years old,  
A time of innocence, but a story untold.  
In moments that should have felt safe and bright,  
Something shifted inside; it didn’t feel right.  
But I was still a child, just learning to stand.

My heart raced with confusion,  
And in silence, I felt the intrusion.  
My thoughts screamed for help,  
Yearning for comfort, as I quietly wept.

I write this with compassion, sharing my truth,  
Challenging the weight of every harsh word,  
To the voice that once whispered discouragement,  
I owe a sincere apology, for the pain I’ve endured.

You slipped in at nine, as laughter took flight,  
A seed of uncertainty in a heart full of light.  
I fought through the silence, face down the ache,  
Yet your echoes lingered, a shadow I couldn’t shake.

My heart beat loudly, drowning out grace,  
As your taunts grew, it felt like a race—  
To find the soft whisper urging me to stay,  
To breathe through the storm and chart my own way.

I acknowledge now the struggles we faced,  
The battles within where courage was chased.  

But it’s time to say, with a heart that’s grown brave,  
That this journey is mine, so I’ll no longer cave.  
I never thought I’d find the strength to say,  
It’s time for you to go, and let me find my way.