A Collection of Poems

Once I Was, Now I Am

Once I was a girl
Who bore the heart of a warrior.
I was proud and strong and smart and true.
And the older I became, the more my passion grew.

They told me that I could not be
A warrior so wild and free.
I was too passionate, too independent, too carefree.
I was not the meek, submissive woman they wanted me to be.

And I feared that my warrior's heart
Would spell my demise.
So I locked it away
And buried it deep inside.

I stopped expressing my joy.
I stopped sharing my passion.
I wasn't so outspoken.
I wasn't so strong and independent.

And they didn't like that either.
I was too unhappy.
I focused too much on myself.
There was a seed of darkness within.

They feared it; I think.
They feared me.
And they were right to.
My warrior's heart was buried, not dead.

I fought and fought to be who they wished.
I did everything they asked. I chose to submit.
It was never enough, and my misery grew.
Until at last, that warrior's heart chose to break through.

For I am not meek.
I am not submissive.
I am not property.
I am not them.

I am powerful.
I am strong.
I am passionate.
I am the storm they feared me to be.

And when I realized this,
When I decided I had enough,
That warrior's heart awoke
And all they tried to force me to be evaporated into smoke.

They placed me in chains.
I forged them into armor.
They tried to cage my mind.
I turned their bars into a crown.

They tried to douse my fire.
From ashes, I was reborn.
They hid me in the shadows.
I was never alone.

They turned my body into a prison.
A prison that was mine to raze.
They tried to force my hand.
They gave me theirs to break.

You cannot corner a creature
And expect it not to fight.
For we are wild. We are free.
Man is the ultimate beast.

There is an owl in my flesh.
A silent, calculating predator.
Beautiful and lethal.
Free without measure.

There is a wolf in my heart.
It is loyal. It is true.
It will fight to defend its own.
It will fight to survive.

There is a phoenix in my blood.
A burning fire that rages within.
Strike me down.
From ashes I return.

There is a dragon in my bones.
The strength of ancient power, mine to command.
Unprovoked, I am at peace.
Provoked, all shall burn.

I am a woman.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
I have been scorned.
My fury is a scourge.

I am a child of the One True King,
No matter what you say.
Never forget that one who created all mankind,
Also created me.

I am passionate, ferocious, daring, and powerful.
I am compassionate, empathic, brave, and true.
I am kind and cruel, friend and foe.
I am queen and servant, warrior and poet.

I seek not to be caged.
I seek no revenge.
I seek truth.
I seek freedom.

So tell your lies.
Fill them with fear.
Lay blame on me.
Insult my name.

Call me a temptress.
Call me a devil.
Call me a liar.
Condemn me to hell.

I know what I am.
God knows me too.
He made me strong.
He made me wise.

He made me imperfect
So that in Him I might find grace.
He gave me a heart that forgives.
He gave me a heart that saves.

You tried to condemn
All that God made me to be.
When all He ever truly wanted
Was for me to be free.

Once I was blind.
Once I was caged.
Once I was broken.
Once I was dead.

Now I can see.
Now I am free.
Now I am reborn.
Now I am redeemed.