Learning to love

You told me not to be afraid

Then you gave me a reason to be scared

You told me not to fail

Then you set me up for failure

You told me to follow my dreams

Then told me mine were out of reach

But I’m learning

I walk on the razors edge between

Assured success

And endless defeat.

I wasn’t sure of who I am

I was sure of who you made me

A still frame image to put me down

A proverbial stepping stone

You won’t be pleased till I drowned

But I’m learning

My friends were they friends at all

When you were broken and ashamed

I helped sweep up the pieces

But you never did the same

Through all the hurt

The sadness the lies

The wicked hellos

And the pleasant goodbyes

Torn beaten bruised

Washed up broken and used

I sway clutching to ropes end

Listening to that tattered old song in my head

“Don’t give up try again”

But I’m learning

I’m learning

It’s not what you said that matters

It’s that I believed it

I’m learning

That those who would drag me down

Are already below me

I’m learning

That something beautiful

Can be made from broken pieces

I stand and stare from across the room

At a wall of gleaming reflection

It’s time to be proud you see

Because the person I’m learning to love

Is me.