Thread Ashes Blowing in the Wind

We connected at the pain.

Attached at the hip from the bullying we endured growing up.

Tethered by awkwardness,

we tussled with your desire for me to be something I wasn’t.

I told you I wasn’t.

But I tried to be the "was” you wanted me to be.

Artificial acceptance has always been an enemy to me.

A phony idea airplaned to open my mouth and chew

in order to control my being ever since I was a wee thing.

I knew better.

But

I chose worse,

And honey, worse tore my ass up better than my mama ever could.

Faux acceptance has always been an enemy of mine.

We are an enemy of mine.

You are an enemy of mine.

I am a friend, supporter, comforter—

A1 from day one of mine.

Grateful I severed the tie

and

burned the string for good measure.

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