Her Fault

If I wanted to go over

all the things that made me feel lesser than,

If I wanted to pick myself apart--

I don't think I'd need the help of a man.

I've been good

at picking me apart,

good at feeling down.

I've been pretty good at hating all of me.

I'm the expert when it comes to

the very worst of me,

and I don't need him

to carefully find my faults.

If I decided to list all my weaknesses,

If I decided I wasn't good enough,

I could do it on my own–

don't need no help,

baby I'm grown.

I've been my best enemy

longer than you've known my name.

I've been my best love,

I'll be that woman again.

If I wanted to lose myself,

and decide that I could never be a wife–

I could take the needed time,

I could fuck up every line.

I don't need no man to tell me

I'm the worst.

If I decided that I was the worst I could be,

that I don't deserve love,

passion,

or familiar company–

I could do it all alone,

don't need a sucker,

nor a home.

I know me best,

I know me best.

I refuse to be dependent on his judgment.

I refuse to hang my head,

'cause he's got opinions.

He don't know me very well,

He's in his own bitter hell.

Why's he trying to shovel coals

into mine?