I’m too strong for that

I’m too strong for that

Am I the door that says, PUSH

I wouldn’t ever let that happen to me

Come what may, I’m not gonna let that happen to

——

What can I tell the daughters of this generation, what do I tell the sons

When I felt I was a door stopper

I crashed into the glass cloud above

The house that I thought was made for weathering

I’m too strong

But it turned out I was too scared to let myself be small without shattering your precious preconceived notions of gender norms in a culture you aspired to destroy yet preach to me for your own personal benefit

I’m too strong to be afraid, to let myself be beaten into the ground

I knew I would have the strength to leave, but did I ever make the sacrifice of being the main course, cooked raw and bloody with burnt ends?

Everyone says they’re too smart, too wild, too strong

To let yourself be the red, black and blue

The purple of his vision

To be kicked, slapped, pulled

Pushed over and over like door that says

P-U-S-H

And yes, we’re all so proud and strong and we love ourselves

Climbing that mountain that keeps us down, pretending to keep us safe

Does anyone plan for war in their own home

Does anyone plan for a cease-fire that is false, sneaking in your catacombs of fear and sadness to make their conquest

Of course. You’re way too strong or busy or successful to let yourself be abused

Or that you were killed in youth yet your corpse moves like it’s alive,

Pulling your layers off like an onion

Looking in the mirror at your bruises, betraying yourself that you’re

Too

Damn

Strong

Letting your frantic tears slowly fade into a well rehearsed smile hundreds of times like you would have won an Oscar

Smile, you’re so strong,

You’ll get out of this.