I have lived in darkness
Reveled in its muck
Too lost to seek out beauty
Too broken to give a fuck
I have succumbed to anger
At the injustice of it all
I’ve witnessed deadmen falter
I’ve heeded hateful calls.
I have chewed away the chains
Of violent neglectful abuses
I have blamed myself and blamed the stars
I have justified it with childish excuses
I’ve rejected ancestral wisdom
To bleed out my unique path
I’ve run. I’ve crawled. I’ve slithered
I’ve ground myself to ash
I’ve built myself a castle
With every grain of sand
I’ve flown through vicious storms
Without a personal command
I’ve crashed and burned a thousand times
Roasted marshmallows on bridges I’ve burned
I’ve picked myself up and dusted me off
Each scar a battle-wound earned
I’ve cavorted with sinners and prostitutes
I’ve imbibed heavily in the drink
I’ve witnessed senseless violence
And still refused to sink
Because that darkness cannot win
It isn’t who I’ve become
It may be where I once have dwelled
But I will never revisit or succumb
Loved hearing you read this amazing work today. It speaks to the experiences of so many. Look forward to reading more of your poems.