When I learned to love
Pricks and pricks
of your bleeding lips
oh how you love me
and tame me
dancing in your mind
move after move
becoming nothing more
than a whore-
you can't go out like that
that kept me safe
that I was only yours
they're a bad influence
but you shared yourself
and wrecked me into a ball of spit and tears
you didn't provide my needs as a man
you showed me love, showed me hate
and I saw no difference
stop with your shit
maybe I was blind
because of my bruised eye
but you didn't mean to be rough
see what you made me do?
I shouldn't have gotten in the way
If I wanted love,
I had to earn it
and you showed me how time after time
As I became your boredom
The bruises healed
purple black became golden brown
Warm and cold are suddenly different
I grew and I grew beyond the muddy mess
and I bloomed
I bloomed and I loved
And love was not pain
love was not to obey
love was free
and you never loved me
but
That's okay,
I love me.