took me a long while

to do this thing

they call growing up

so much time to take

trying to work out

if I was who

they told me I was

scrubbing off the dirt

from anothers’ life

their hates & fears

projected onto a blank screen

from the get-go

picking off the scabs

protection layers created

from threats hurt & lies

spite splashed out easy

by the ever unwise

teachers who couldn’t

police going for easy times

the priest urging never mind

all of them wanting me

to accept their put upon

never thinking I was trying

to live a better life

than the one they called their own

every day feeling naked

as I shed another skin

draped by them on me

taking time to find me