I can't remember much of how I was like as a little girl,
But I was told I talked a lot.
Laughed a lot.
I didn't really care what anyone thought about me,
And suddenly, all of that changed.
As did I.
I moved around,
Never got to know or trust anyone.
The little girl who constantly talked now couldn't.
She didn't know how.
Always being shy,
I could never imagine myself as the outgoing girl I supposedly was.
Until one day, my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Reim, introduced me to poetry.
She and a few other teachers along my school life taught me how to write,
And ever since then, poetry was my best friend.
I could write and talk about anything.
My feelings, my thoughts, my dreams.
I didn't have to rhyme or make it look fancy.
I could express myself however I wanted,
And thanks to poetry,
My eyes opened up to a whole new world.
Although I still have trouble talking to people,
I do other things to make up for it and feel less awkward.
Acting random and silly.
Poetry saved me from myself.
From the pain of fourth grade to the darkness in eighth grade.
I may not be able to explain things or express myself in the right way with my mouth,
But I can definitely write them down.
Thanks to freedom of speech,
I am able to be whoever I want to be and say whatever is on my mind.
I've been broken,
Taken for granted,
But with freedom of speech,
I can stand up for myself and speak up.
Words will never again be put in my mouth;
I shall write and speak the truth.
Poetry can be a life saver if you let it.