Your words cut me deep,

make my leave my dreams

to die.

You criticize

till I feel too victimized

to keep struggling on.

That weakness needs to be gone.

I need to take away your power,

need to stop being a coward.

I must raise my voice

for myself and my hopes.

The joke

is on you, since you’re wrong.

Your words will no longer

pierce my skin, since I’ll be much stronger.

Go ahead and laugh.

Go ahead and call my bluff.

You will soon realize

your words of venom

have inspired,

turned me into a fighter.