Y o u

Y o u apologized at first
For the erratic behavior
Regretful
“I’m so sorry”
you cry.

Y o u explained to me so many times,
You are just going through a rough time
Different
“A lot is going on”
you convince.

Y o u excuse any evidence that your craziness
Is not just an isolated incident
Rebuttal
“You see, what happened was”
you explain.

Y o u hold me closer to you
After you push me for the first time
Hard
“I’ll never do that again”
you promise.

Y o u start to talk badly about my friends
When they stop supporting our abusive
Relationship
“They don’t even like you”
you lie.

Y o u make me question my family
And the idea of my parents as
Trustworthy
“I’m the only one”
you assure.

Y o u begin to take complete control
Of every aspect of our daily life
Manipulation
“You can’t do that”
you command.

Y o u said that you could not stand
To hear a woman
Talk
“It’s the worst sound”
you eruct.

Y o u told me not to talk to you
In that shrill voice of mine
Creaking
“Oh, fucking god”
you say.

Y o u created my biggest
Insecurity, the raspiness of my
Speech
“Man voice”
you taunt.

Y o u said to stay quiet
When we were in an argument
Nothingness
“It’s my turn now”
you threaten.

Y o u make it extraordinarily easy
For a sane woman to become
Crazy
“What are you talking about?”
you gaslight.

Y o u tear down every essence of my identity
Breaking down my intelligence, self-esteem
Insanity
“You are worthless”
you declare.

Y o u can’t stand when I disobey
I try to speak up for myself
Can’t
“No one will love you”
you sneer.

Then .

Y o u picked up a gun and pointed it at me
I can’t move
Paralyzed
“If I can’t have you, no one can”
you aim.

But .

What if my story,
was just my own story,
and it didn’t have anything to do with y o u?