Be True To Yourself

I was the type of wife, who never spoke her mind

Later accused of being too good, compassionate, and kind

My life was no more than a reflection of my mates

No time to be myself - to sit and contemplate

He was the "king of his castle" - I was to do "what he said"

No time to dream or to look far ahead

I lost myself for those twelve years

No use crying - I buried the tears

I worked each day being what I thought he wanted me to become

Changed who I was in order to equal his sum

I centered my world on those things he desired

Tried to give him everything that he needed, everything required

But in the end he said it still wasn't enough

He sneaked away in the night - like Shakespeare's Mac Duff

Betrayed and discarded - a vow, a promise denied

Belittled and berated - and then cast aside

So how could something that started as devotion and love

Twist and be mangled - then simply disposed of?

A heart that is trampled, beaten and bruised

Self esteem destroyed - a soul quite abused

Although forgiveness comes easy to a spirit that is pure

For the pain of the past - there is no simple cure

Those memories of betrayal run deep in ones blood

And sometimes you drown in what is "perceived" as a flood

Of emotions and feelings connected with the past

All the trying for nothing and it still did not last.

And the lesson you learned is to be "true to ones self"

You can't deny who you are and place your identity on a shelf

There are things we are born with that make us who we are

And to one what seems fine - to you seems bizarre

Humans are different and no one should have to change

A union should bring ideas to exchange

And understanding to accept those things we see as wrong

To march to our individual drummers, singing our own unique song.