I think I'm the person I swore I'd never be.
I always feared cigarettes,
and was terrified of monsters in my closet.
I never had many friends and
hated myself with a passion
I couldn't put into words.
So I put it into broken tree branches,
****** poems
and little razor cuts.
But my, do people change.

Over the last six months,
the only monsters I've feared were
the ones in my head.
I haven't touched a razor in a year or so,
and trees are so highly valued to me.
I still write ****** poems,
and cigarettes still scare me,
but I've found the exhilaration
of the nicotine/tobacco mix
is just what I've needed
to get by.

I'm not the same person I was
when I last fell in love.
I was sure that I was problematic,
sure that nobody truly wanted me around.
I know I've got friends.
I know we've all got lives of our own.
I was sure that I would end up alone.
I'm not sure if that'll ever change.
I know I'm not ugly by any means.
Except, maybe, my insecurities,
which have taken the place of aforementioned
monsters in the closet.

The monsters are much bigger now,
yet so much harder to see.
They hide between the cracks of things,
appearing instead of safety.
The monsters are my doubts.
The monsters are my shaky hands,
my calorie-counting habits,
and seeing the person I cannot seem to escape.
I never thought he'd be a face
I was so afraid to see,
but when his face comes to mind,
I'm frantic to make it go away.
Not because he hurt me,
but because of the change.
I've always had a fear of change.
I hear the words
France
Cooking
Drums
Stars
Walmart.
It's hard to forget the person
your mom was certain you'd move in with.
It's hard to forget the person
you swore you'd never be.

But here I am,
perhaps, one in the same.
For the person I swore I would never
conform to being
is the person I see in the mirror.
I've always been afraid of change,
but I've changed so much in the last month,
I don't see the same person.

I know I'm stronger,
but I'm not much braver.
I keep more to myself
yet somehow
press to be with others.
I don't need approval
of those that I surround myself with,
I just want approval from myself.

I fear I'll never get it.
I'm so afraid of change.

I'M NOT JUST SOME NECKLACE
THAT YOU CAN JUST WEAR
WHENEVER YOU FEEL LIKE IT
I'M NOT JUST SOME FOOD
THAT YOU CAN JUST THROW AWAY
WHENEVER YOU'RE DONE
I AM MORE THAN THAT
I AM MORE THAN YOU'RE ASSUMPTIONS
I AM MORE THAN YOU'RE INSULTS
I AM MORE THAN YOU'RE BACKSTABBING
BECAUSE
I AM BETTER THAN YOU

A.C.

Her stance
gives off an aura
of power

Her voice
projects to the corners
of the room

Should I be intimidated?
Or should I be amazed?

One thing is imperative
That you understand:
I will bow to no God,
and kneel to no man.
I am sure and steady
On these feet where I stand,
And any faith I possess
Is placed in my hands.

Everything makes you wonder if you're good enough,
if you measure up.
But your standards are impossibly high for yourself.

Bars you can never reach,
but you stretch.
Stretch yourself so thin...
Just to get to it anyways.

Now it's time for the comparisons to stop.
To pull yourself back together and,
unstretch undoubt, unhide.

The best anyone can ever be is happy with themselves.