It started in elementary
I remember those days
Feeling all alone
No friends, just laughter
“HA” would mock the bully
Tears ran down my face
To hear those words
Were like blows to my face
No one liked to play with me
They all thought I was too weird
Even though that bully only lived a few doors down

He would go to my neighbor’s house
Sometimes I would visit
He always left when I showed up
Or when I was just passing by
It left me with the feeling of being ugly, fat and lame
Feeling like an outcast, I was dragged into junior high homeschool
I got out sometimes, but obviously not enough
For I fell into that dark well of depression
For that bully, broke the only thing in my heart still standing,
Hope
Hope that one day, I would rise from my ashes
And show the world something great
But every day I would run home and say, “That bully threw out more bait!”

High school came around
I never saw that bully again
Unless he was walking to my neighbor’s house, or just passing by
I would hide myself, even my shadow
For I fear of that same laughter
But just the other day,
I saw a picture of myself and now I say,
“Is that really me? My eyes must be playing more tricks!
For a simple mirror is not enough, for me to see something great”
But I realize now that that is me in that picture
I do look kind of nice
Even though people reassured me,
It just didn’t seem possible
For it to be truly me
Staring back at myself in that picture
My friends at school helped lift me up from my ashes,
Because then I was just dust,
I did not have the strength
But I have been reborn to see the truth revealed

Now that bully bothers me no more!
For I am stronger than ever before
I can now go face-to-face
With the very thing that held me back
Having my hope restored to its rightful place
In my heart