I am a strong individual, I am.

I used to cry, thinking of the past that made me.

The undeserved ill tempered fists used to shape me, with the intent I'd remain that weak and afraid being.

The path behind me up to this point only seen negatively, I look to the present ground beneath my feet.

What a relief it is to be standing here!

I am a strong individual, I am.

I flick the light switch on and illuminate the world around me.

I begin to truly see.

Each attempt to break me down,

Only helped me learn how to rebuild.

Every bruise sustained,

only taught me what love isn't.

I am a strong individual, I am.

I am a strong individual because of those breaks and bruises.

I am thankful,

for a past that shaped me

for my choices that made me

for a life that is mine.

To think it's labour,

To think it's pleasure,

To think with favour,

To think with leisure.

The pen bled, the mind waxed weary,

The bed is stained with acts in theory.

Impressed with beast, destroyed by beauty,

Missing first light out of filial duty.

Awake at night when vision means little,

Embalmed in wordplay, pursuing the riddle.

Of time, of death, of love, of doubt,

These are the things one can live without.

To mark a page, to smile part wistful,

To ignore the life instead of the vigil.

To think insightful,

To think Descartes,

To think it's tasteful,

To think it's art.

When I was a child 

    I was taught I had to pray

To the Mighty God 

    so that he would save the day

I prayed just as hard 

    as my little girl heart could

But the beatings didn't stop 

    like I had hoped that they would.

I grew into a woman, 

    got a better point of view

It was untainted 

    by the words my mom would spew

I was smart enough to see 

    right through the pastor's voice

I finally felt true freedom 

    when I knew I had a choice.

I finally found the answer 

    I was looking for so hard

When I took a look inside 

    I couldn't disregard

My own strength and dignity 

    have never steered me wrong

And they have been right there 

    within me all along.

Love can be amazing and powerful

It can also be betraying and untrustworthy

Being in love is the best feeling in the world

Until someone breaks you

And then it is too late

Your broken and there is no going back

You will never see love again

Yet people say love is everything it is what keeps us together it's not

With the knowledgebase we have, we forget to look at the past, at the pillars of modern thinking, where ideas came to be.

One such tells us there are no bad or good values, they can only be used insufficiently or excessively. That only the right amount is correct. 

If there is one thing to criticize is how we seek knowledge but we dont know where to find it, we ask questions but not which ones are the right one and we challenge ideas but not the right way.

They chase me through my nightmares, tiny wings fluttering soundlessly with razor-sharp edges, ready to cut me to pieces.   I hear them, flapping outside my door.   I sit on the floor, clutching my net, waiting for them to find a way past my futile defenses.   Suddenly, I hear a fluttering above me.   I look up, and there it is, flapping against the light fixture, the designs on its wings staring like hideous glaring eyes, its proboscis curled in malice.   It is joined by another, then another, until finally they block the light in a huge terrible mass.   I swipe at them, trying to fend them off, but soon they are upon me.   My hand gropes through the air, my mouth open in a silent scream, but to no avail.   The last thing my eyes see before the blackness comes is a set of tiny, gossamer wings shining like glittering diamonds.

Love, to me, is disastrous. I just don't see it ending well. Is it obvious I've never been in love? 

Ok, well I guess it must be beautiful. I guess you must feel different, like suddenly things that have weighed down on you for a long time don't matter anymore. It must feel courageous, like you have something that can't be taken away. It must give you this ultimate sense of trust, because you're  placing your heart in someone else's hands. To fall in love, you must truly believe that they're not going to hurt you. I've never believed that.