i have spent
my entire life
not seeing myself
but the monster
that was beaten into me
from childhood
listening to the voice
in the back of my head
that said
i can’t
i’m not good enough
why bother
the face that scowled
back in the mirror
the self hatred
that whispered
in the night

she thinks
i am enough

now i hear
the voice in my mind
but her’s is louder
it is her opinion
that matters
that sees the person
not the beast
i think maybe
i will listen to her
instead
she has no reason
to lie
besides
i belong to her
so it stands to reason
she knows
best