Not Anymore
Original Poem by Briana Augustus
![black-out screenshot black-out screenshot](https://brianaaugustus.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/black-out-screenshot.jpg)
An exposition of honesty in the midst of emotional warfare.
REEEAALLLYY though -
You stalked me and tampered with my car,
Attempted to vandalize my house,
Abused me physically,
Made ignorant attempts to manipulate me,
Called me out of my name,
Talked down to me like a child,
Walked me into a situation that I wound up with broken bones from,
Brought me to having to file a police report against you!
But ya know what:
No,
I'm not mad.
I'm blessed on the other side of you.
You made my faith stronger,
My will more empowered,
My psyche more fortified but alert,
My mind clearer,
My perspective broader,
And my passion more fierce.
So ya know what -
No,
I'm not mad.
Not anymore.
Words I'll never say to you
Because I know they'll be unappreciated -
As much as the 7-page written letter I gave you
And found crumpled on my lawn 2 days later -
When I saw you drive by and throw it on my lawn.
![Ghost ii_PHEERS_1a052119_WATERMARKED1 Ghost ii_PHEERS_1a052119_WATERMARKED1](https://brianaaugustus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Ghost-ii_PHEERS_1a052119_WATERMARKED1-scaled.jpg)
![Caged B_NO C_WATERMARKED FACING PHEERS Photo Series ("Caged")](https://brianaaugustus.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Caged-B_NO-C_WATERMARKED.jpg)
But no.
I'm not mad.
Not anymore.
I'm more me than I've ever been.
And you,
Nor anybody like you,
Is ever going to take that away.
Never again.