First of all, I have never written poetry. Never. Last night as I was drifting off to sleep o started saying these lines and I knew I’d have to sit up and write them down before full falling asleep otherwise they’d be gone forever. this morning I woke and finished the last stanza.

You Thought You Could Dim Me

You thought you could dim me.

You thought you could steal my shine.

You thought you could take what was mine—

from hobbies to thoughts,

from joy to time.

I wasn’t allowed to feel

unless you named it real.

You twisted my words,

rewrote my story,

so you could stand as the hero

and claim all the glory.

You were wrong, of course.

Light bulbs can be changed.

The pain you caused—temporary.

I was never meant to be

a caged canary.

Now I’m singing, loud and proud,

standing tall, refusing to bend.

I didn’t lose myself—

I found myself again.

I am not your shadow,

not your echo, not your name.

I am the light you tried to dim—

and I remain.