Drowning in Memories

"Painted in Shadows"

I stand here now, outside these walls,

The keys don’t turn, the door won’t call.

I tried to return, to rewrite the past,

But time has shifted, the die is cast.

They say I walked away, that I chose to flee,

But there’s more to the story—can’t you see?

They drew their lines in black and white,

Made me the villain, the thief of the night.

But darling, please, try to see,

They painted a version that isn’t me.

I was lost, afraid, and torn apart,

Never meant to break your heart.

The courtroom echoed with twisted lies,

Accusations sharp, like knives in disguise.

Too young to fight, too scared to stand,

They pushed me down, stole my land.

The truth was buried beneath the storm,

A fragile soul, battered and worn.

They painted me as something I’m not,

A monster carved from lies they wrought.

I was just a mother, lost in the fray,

Trying to find my way through the gray.

Yes, I was naïve, I’ll admit,

I should’ve been stronger, I should’ve stood my ground.

But I’m not the beast they designed,

Just a woman who lost her way in time.

Now I’m here, through years of pain,

Trying to explain, to break the chain.

Circumstances tore us apart,

But my love stayed true, a beating heart.

Even when I couldn’t reach you,

My soul never left, my love still grew.

They painted me as what I’m not,a

A cold, unfeeling, heartless thought.

I was just lost, afraid to stay,

Never meant to slip away.

I saw the signs, but turned my eyes,

Let them push me, let them lie.

All these words they spun about me,

Turned me into someone you couldn’t see.

Did they tell you I left you?

Did they say I didn’t care?

Let me help you understand,

I was always there.

Locked from home, left in the cold,

No place to stay, no hand to hold.

They made me out to be a beast,

But I was broken, my heart the least.

Did they tell you I left you?

Did they say I ran away?

Let me help you understand,

I fought to stay.

They made me out to be a monster,

But I was just too weak to fight.

I never meant to leave you lonely,

I tried with all my might.

Did they tell you I left you?

Did they say I didn’t care?

Let me help you understand,

My love was always there.

Expanded Section:

The years have passed, but the scars remain,

A quiet ache, a lingering pain.

I hid my wounds, buried my cries,

Behind a mask of practiced lies.

But therapy’s light began to heal,

Revealing truths I once concealed.

I see now how the chains were spun,

How I was trapped, how I was undone.

A narcissist’s game, a twisted art,

They played their role, they tore me apart.

But through the darkness, I found my way,

A fragile hope, a brighter day.

I’m not the villain they made me out to be,

Just a soul set free, learning to see.

The lies they told, the roles they cast,

Were just illusions, shadows of the past.

So here I stand, with open hands,

No longer bound by their demands.

I’ve found my voice, I’ve found my peace,

A heart released, a soul’s release.

So here I stand, with open hands,

No longer bound by their demands.

I’ve found my voice, I’ve found my peace,

A heart released, a soul’s release.

The past may linger, but it won’t define,

A future bright, a love divine.

Through every storm, I’ve learned to rise,

A phoenix born from tear-streaked skies.

The truth now shines, the lies decay,

I’ve found my strength, I’ve found my way.