~Cutting Ties~ Poem

Written By: Dee Parker

Sometimes...
you gotta let go of hands that once held you,
just to hold on to yourself.

I said,
Sometimes, you gotta love yourself loud enough
to let silence do the talking.

Lately.
I’ve been falling back,
from people, I laughed with,
Ate with,
Dreamed with.
Folks I would've gone to war for,
but never noticed I was already in one.

It’s not because I stopped loving them.
It’s because I finally started loving me!

I started noticing
when the room changed
but nobody said a word.
When my joy got smaller,
to make others feel comfortable.

Nah.
Not anymore!

Some people are like gangrene.
And I ain't saying that to be cruel
I'm saying that to be real.

You keep ignoring the infection,
next thing you know,
you’re losing more than a limb,
you’re losing yourself,
Your life!
Your light!
You're why!

So yeah,
I chose me.
Not in arrogance,
but in alignment.
Not with rage,
but with revelation.

Cutting ties ain’t always angry.
Sometimes, it’s graceful and quiet.
Sometimes it's, I still love you,
but from over here.
It’s I forgive you,
but I can’t keep handing you the knife.

It’s, I see you,
but I see me too now.

Because of peace.
Peace don’t plead.
Peace doesn’t perform.
Peace doesn’t sit in rooms where it’s constantly questioned.
Peace just leaves.

So I had to cut ties.
Cut ties.
Even the ones tied in childhood.
Even the ones stitched in struggle.

Because if the bond costs me my balance, well,
it’s not worth it.

Let me be clear,
This ain’t bitterness.
This is boundaries.
This is healing.
This is choosing life.

And yeah,
It hurts.
It hurts.
It hurts.

But I’d rather grieve the loss of someone who meant me no good,
than mourn the loss of the man I’m becoming.

So I’m walking away.
Not cold,
but clean.
Not angry,
but aligned.
Not broken,
just brave.

It's all small steps to a giant!
(Random thoughts) 

D~Parker 5.3.2025