Today I Rise.....

She wraps her cloak of absolution

Tightly around you

Shielding you from responsibility and blame

Allowing you to hide

Dissolve into the abyss of the victim

She rocks you gently

Telling you that you are safe

In your container of done to me

It was not you

It was them

She assures you

You do not need to change

You can stay here with her

In the bubble of shame

She will hold you, she promises

She tells you, you have every right

To feel hate, suffering

To hold resentment

To allow the rot to fester

But what she does not tell you

Is that she wants to keep you

Locked in the spiral of victim

Stuck in the loop of unforgiving spite

Her power is all consuming

Giving you a reason

To stay where you are

To remain unconscious

And stifled, squashed

After a while, her darkness overwhelms

Others around you seem light

While you stay dim

Hidden, alone

So, you begin

The long journey of disrobing

Of peeling off the layers

Of shame, regret, sadness

She is persistent

But you are growing

Stronger, determined

Healing the need to wear her

Releasing the cloth she has

Wrapped you in

Each layer you peel

Each memory you heal

Each time you refuse

To be kept in the darkness

Releases a little more

Of her tenacious grip

Shaking, shedding

The layers reveal more

The cracks let the light in

The tears washing the doubt

The howls releasing, purging

Eventually, she drops to the floor

In a pile of detritus

That you no longer need

No longer want

Released

Sent back to those

Who would see you small

Dim, afraid, used

Returned

To those who wronged

Subjugated, suppressed

She is left there

On the floor of the past

Crumpled and done

You rise, phoenix like

From the ashes of the cage

That kept you submerged

In the depths of victimhood

With a turn of your heel

And a straightening of back

You walk on

Alive, powerful, strong

Responsible

Creator

Magician

YOU