I’m done, I say, and they reply,
"You’ve lost, you’re wrong, don’t ask me why."
But I’m not wrong, not in my soul,
I’m wrong because they say I’m not whole.

Right and wrong don’t come from me,
They come from what the crowd can see.
If they think I’m wrong, then that’s my fate,
Not because I’ve failed, but because they dictate.

I’m not wrong by what’s true,
I’m wrong by what they believe is due.
It’s not about what’s really right,
It’s about who holds the power in sight.

So when I say I’m done, it’s clear—
Not because I lost, but because I fear
That right and wrong are just what they decide,
Not what’s real, but what they hide.

My dad, with his voice so loud and firm,
Taught me life’s lessons, through each turn.
He made sure I was alive and well,
Even when others wished I’d dwell in hell.

With every harsh word, a truth would bloom,
A lesson in kindness, through every boom.
Blunt and clear, with a joke on the side,
He taught me the balance of strength and pride.

It took me years to catch on and see,
How much of him lived inside of me.
His dark humor, his grit, his view,
Now echoes in everything I do.

I used to believe in "an eye for an eye,"
A way of getting back, or asking why.
But my mom showed me, with quiet grace,
That kindness doesn’t have to leave a trace.

"Be nice, no matter what they do,"
She said, “You hold the power, it's up to you."
To rise above the hurt and the pain,
And let love and strength break every chain.

Together, they shaped who I’ve become,
Blending their wisdom into what I’ve done.
A blend of strength and compassion’s hue,
Their love, a guide for all I pursue.

I’ve got half a life to take their lead,
To turn their choices into my creed.
And in their legacy, I will find my own,
Growing in ways that I've always known.

I once would say, with eager pride,
"I now know this," with truth as guide.
But then I learned, with quiet grace,
To keep those words from taking place.

For when I know, I need not shout,
Or speak aloud, or cast it out.
The knowing stays, just soft, just still,
No need to flaunt, no need to fill.

So now I know, and yet refrain,
From saying “I know” in vain.
And knowing this, I now can say,
I know not to say “I know” today.

For wisdom comes, not in the voice,
But in the silence, in the choice—
To simply know, and let it be,
No need for words to set it free.

And so it goes, in quiet flow,
I now know more than I did know.
But saying it? I’ll let it slide,
For knowing’s peace is found inside.

When a child’s words sting, or their silence speaks,
A parent feels it, deep and weak.
Not out of ego, not just to fight,
But because their love runs through every night.

In every smile or tear that falls,
A parent’s heart responds, it calls—
For in the child, their legacy grows,
And every action, every blow,
Feels personal, like a mirror's face,
Reflecting their own heart’s embrace.

For biologically, the pulse runs strong,
A tie that’s ancient, deep, and long.
To protect, to guide, to make them whole,
They take it all—each bruise, each toll.

It’s instinctive, this bond they wear,
Like an armor, woven with care.
When the child stumbles, or turns away,
A parent feels it, night and day.

Not out of anger, but out of need,
To nurture, to shelter, to help them succeed.
For every moment, small or great,
The parent's heart just cannot wait—
To take it personal, because they see
That the child’s world is part of me.

I used to drift through days unseen,
A ghost within the world’s routine.
Invisible, I walked the line,
A shadow cast in real-time.

No one could touch, no one could know,
A flicker where the air would flow.
I’d smile, but my grin was lost,
I’d speak, but no one paid the cost.

Then something changed, a shift so slight,
Now I'm transparent in the light.
Not hidden, but clear as glass,
My edges sharp, no need to mask.

It’s funny, right? The shift so true—
Invisible to see right through.
I once was lost, now I’m too clear,
But still, they stare and never cheer.

Invisible and transparent, so weird—
One to vanish, one to appear.
But in this space, I stand alone,
Both seen and unseen, unknown, yet known.

This year has been hell,
A storm I can’t outrun,
But worse than the fire,
Is the damage I’ve done.
I’ve hurt those I love,
In ways I can’t undo,
And every regret
Feels heavier than truth.
I never meant to cause pain,
Yet I’ve left scars that won’t fade,
And now I’m haunted by faces
Of the hearts I betrayed.
If I could take it back,
Undo every wrong,
I’d do it in a heartbeat,
To right what’s been so long.
For in this year of chaos,
The hardest truth I’ve found—
Is that the hell I’ve lived through
Is nothing when I’ve let others drown.

You can walk away from the weight of a class,
Leave behind the deadlines, the papers you pass.
Quit a job that drains, its hours too long,
Find a new path where you’ll feel strong.

You can abandon the dreams that no longer fit,
Let go of the pieces that don't truly sit.
But there's one thing you must never forsake—
The love that surrounds you, the bonds you make.

The people you’ve chosen, the ones by your side,
They’re your anchor, your reason, your guide.
In their hearts, you find what keeps you alive,
And with them, you’re stronger, together you thrive.

So go ahead, release the burdens you hold,
But don’t let the ones who matter turn cold.
They need you, and you need them too,
In the dance of life, they’re your rhythm, your hue.

Life may change, but these truths remain:
You are not alone, through joy and pain.
So choose wisely, and stay true,
To the ones who’ve chosen to walk with you.