I have been beaten.

I have been bruised.

I have been 

Hated,

Spited,

Spat on, 

Cast out.

They have left me here

To die.

And to think,

I almost gave them the satisfaction.

I have nearly drowned

In their rivers of rage.

I have been broken

From their stones made of malice.

I have been used,

Chewed up,

And spat out

More times than I care to admit.

I have experienced so much

Of their hate 

Of their lies

Of their jealous eyes

That I turned them

Into my own.

But after a while,

I realized that 

"I am so  t i r e d

Of living this way".

I had forgotten that 

After each time

They pushed me down,

I am the one who got back up.

I am the one

Who put myself back together,

Who rubbed dirt on the wound 

And kept limping forward.

I forgot that

I am who I am

Because of their beatings,

Because of their lies,

Because of my struggle.

Yes!   

I am 

Bruised.

Scarred.

Marred.

But I am power.

Pure,

Raw,

Unbridled,  

P O W E R.