I never thought I\u2019d be here,
In the shadows, filled with fear.
The love I once knew turned cold,
And now I feel I’m growing old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It didn\u2019t start with a heavy hand,
Just words, control, and silent demands.
Little by little, you tore me apart,
Until I no longer knew my own heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You said I wasn\u2019t enough, I\u2019d never be more,
Made me believe I was something to ignore.
I tried to fix it, to make you see,
But you were too far gone to truly love me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first time you hit me, I froze,
Hoping it was a moment that would quickly close.
But the apologies came, and I stayed,
Thinking the love we had wouldn\u2019t fully fade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it did. And so did I.
The laughter, the dreams, the sparkle in my eye.
I became a shell, just going through the motions,
Lost in the waves of your cold, cruel ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You broke me without a sound,
Made me believe I was nothing, just drowned.
But there\u2019s a truth I\u2019m learning to embrace:
I am more than this dark, suffocating space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am worthy of love that lifts me high,
Not one that brings me low or makes me cry.
I am strong, and though I\u2019ve been torn,
There\u2019s hope waiting for me in the dawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I won\u2019t be silenced by your shame,
Won\u2019t hide behind excuses or take the blame.
I deserve a love that\u2019s real and kind,
Not the one that leaves scars behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve learned now, I\u2019ve seen the light,
Though it\u2019s been a long and painful fight.
I am not your victim, not anymore,
I am walking away and closing that door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To anyone out there who feels this pain,
I see your struggle, your silent rain.
But hear me now, you are not alone,
You don\u2019t have to suffer, don\u2019t have to stay prone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a world beyond the hurt you feel,
A place where love is kind and real.
So take a step, lift your head high,
You were born to soar, not just to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am more than the bruises, more than the tears,
I am reclaiming my life after all these years.
No longer will I be afraid to be free,
Because I am strong, I am worthy, I am me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I never thought I\u2019d be here,In the shadows, filled with fear.The love I once knew turned cold,And now I feel I’m growing old. It didn\u2019t start with a heavy hand,Just words, control, and silent demands.Little by little, you tore me apart,Until I no longer knew my own heart. You said I wasn\u2019t enough, I\u2019d never […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2719,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,25,98],"tags":[35,34,67,50,61,53,22,48],"class_list":["post-2718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poetry","category-solitude","category-storytime","tag-poems","tag-poetry","tag-preciousowoko","tag-spokenword","tag-spokenwords","tag-story","tag-walkingshadowpoetry","tag-walkingshadowpoetrykenya"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fist-blow-power-wrestling-163431.jpeg?fit=1880%2C1253&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3087,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/you-found-me-and-i-met-love-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2718,"position":0},"title":"You Found Me and I met Love by walking shadow poetry","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"March 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I had given up, I won\u2019t even lie,Love had left me with tears to dry.My heart was cracked, my trust was gone,I swore I\u2019d never love anyone. But then you came, so soft, so kind,Patient enough to ease my mind.You didn\u2019t rush, you took your time,Showed me love was still\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"man and woman kissing at a beach","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/pexels-photo-3156990.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/pexels-photo-3156990.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/pexels-photo-3156990.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/pexels-photo-3156990.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3035,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/love-me-then-leave-me-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2718,"position":1},"title":"Love Me, Then Leave Me by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"January 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"It started like a dream,Like poetry wrapped in silk,Like a love song played on repeat,Like a fairytale where I was finally the main character. They called me perfect before they knew my flaws,Made promises before they knew my past,Built castles in the sky before we had a foundation on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"woman in blue sleeveless dress sitting on brown rock","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-14252010.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-14252010.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-14252010.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-14252010.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-14252010.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2813,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/discovering-my-hidden-strength-poem-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2718,"position":2},"title":"Discovering My Hidden Strength Poem by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"November 10, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"There were times I thought life was too muchTimes when everything felt heavy, like I was breaking inside.I faced storms I wasn\u2019t ready for,And mountains I never thought I\u2019d have to climb.I didn\u2019t know I had it in me,This strength, this part of me that could endure,Until life left me\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"photo of woman in boxing gloves","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/pexels-photo-1608099.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/pexels-photo-1608099.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/pexels-photo-1608099.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/pexels-photo-1608099.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2215,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/pastors-kid\/","url_meta":{"origin":2718,"position":3},"title":"PASTOR’S KID.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"May 30, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"In the church's shadow, I was the pastor's child, In the pews, my secrets quietly compiled. With a gentle hush, my lips were sealed, Amidst childhood's traumas, my heart concealed. In Sunday's grace, we all would pray, But I carried burdens day by day. The mask I wore, so tightly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"pastor\"","block_context":{"text":"pastor","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/WalkingShadowPoetryKenya\/pastor\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"portrait of boy working with clay","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-photo-20362435.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-photo-20362435.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-photo-20362435.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-photo-20362435.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2461,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/learning-to-love-me-spoken-word\/","url_meta":{"origin":2718,"position":4},"title":"Learning to Love Me spoken word.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"August 28, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I used to search for love in every corner,In every face, in every word,Hoping someone would see me,And finally, I\u2019d be heard. But the more I searched,The more I felt alone,Trying to find my worthIn places I\u2019d never known. I thought love was somethingI had to earn,A prize for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"man in red polo shirt smiling","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-5543539.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-5543539.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-5543539.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-5543539.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2863,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/the-real-problem-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2718,"position":5},"title":"The Real Problem by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"December 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The problem isn\u2019t you leaving without a word,It\u2019s the expectation that I\u2019d chase after you,Begging you to stay,Clinging to something that wasn\u2019t even real. You thought I\u2019d fall apart,That I\u2019d crumble at your absence,That I\u2019d run after you,Desperate to fix what was never meant to be. But the truth is,I\u2019ve\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"worried young woman covering face with hand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-6382634.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-6382634.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-6382634.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-6382634.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-6382634.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2718"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2720,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2718\/revisions\/2720"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}