I said I would only write when I'm hurt,
And here I am writing again,
But this time the pain runs deep,
And I can't pretend.

I hate to feel this way,
To be so lost and alone,
I always thought I had it all together,
But now I realize I've never truly shone.

My health is deteriorating,
And I suffer in silence,
No one knows the battles I fight,
The demons I try to defy.

I'm on the verge of giving up,
As the darkness closes in,
I don't have much time left in this world,
And the thought fills me with chagrin.

I lived my days in fear,
Haunted by the abuse of the past,
The bruises that stained my body,
The scars that would forever last.

The men who touched me,
Left wounds that never healed,
And old acquaintances left cuts so deep,
That my pain could never be sealed.

I have to keep silent,
For I can't bear to hurt another soul,
Even though I am hurting inside,
And my heart takes a heavy toll.

But I must find the strength within,
To rise above the pain,
To fight for my own survival,
And not let my spirit wane.

I may be broken and battered,
But I refuse to let it define me,
I'll fight for my own redemption,
And set my wounded heart free.

So I'll keep writing through the tears,
And let my words be my guide,
For in the darkness of my pain,
I'll find the strength to abide.