I am not the scared person

That I used to be.

I’m stronger than that.

I always was.

And the day I refused,

To bow down to fear,

Was the day I became myself.

It was screaming like a monkey,

And roaring like a tiger.

It was clawing up a cliff face,

With scraped knees and bloody knuckles.

It was refusing to give up,

Even if it meant I had to crawl.

I found my heart,

My soul,

My passion,

My fire for life and liberty,

And justice to myself.

That was the day I became a person—

Wild and burning,

Taller than temples,

And stronger than Artic storms.

I am beautiful,

And powerful,

And terrible,

And great.

I’m dangerous to those who will drag me down

And indispensible to those who lift me up.

I am the kind of strong

That makes the weak tremble

And the rest stand by my side.

I am amazing,

And all it cost me

Was a broken fingernail.