No one stopped me.
Men’s arms. They embraced me.
Drugs. They helped me.
Parties. They loved me.
No one stopped me.
Shame. It taught me.
Be bold, it said. Let them all know.
No thing stopped me.
No one stopped me.
Nails in my window to stop me. Alarms on the doors to stop me.
Lock me away to stop me. Medicate me to stop me. Marry me off to stop me.
They couldn’t stop me.
No one stopped me.
I kept going. Had to keep going. No stopping.
Going away from my Self. Away from all my Self wanted to be. Torn. Pulled.
And no one was stopping me.
Until I stopped me.
But this is how I know I can’t stop you.
Blood of my blood.
None of us could be stopped.
Not me nor those before me. Not you. Not those who come after you.
You know best, and you will keep going.
Going. Going.
Going in ways that look the same and ways that are only your own.
Until you stop. But then.
Keep going.
Written 10.31.24
