You said you wanted something casual,
Something simple, no strings, just natural.
But I wasn\u2019t ready for that game,
Tired of feeling like just a name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve been hurt too many times before,
And now my heart won\u2019t take it anymore.
The last thing I want this year to be,
Is someone\u2019s backup, can\u2019t you see?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It wasn\u2019t easy to accept the truth,
To swallow the pain, rebuild my youth.
Your reasons? Sure, they made sense,
But my heart still built a heavy defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve been holding on to expectations,
Dreams too high, without foundations.
I know now it\u2019s time to let them go,
To plant my feet and take it slow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No need to apologize, no need to regret,
Every step forward, I\u2019ll never forget.
Life isn\u2019t fair; it wasn\u2019t meant to be,
But every chapter shapes what we see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You weren\u2019t a mistake; you were a sign,
A moment, a lesson, a story in mine.
We\u2019re still friends that\u2019s what we said,
But boundaries now protect my head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without them, someone always breaks,
And my heart can\u2019t take those stakes.
Your reasons were valid; I won\u2019t deny,
But holding on means I\u2019m living a lie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019d be in a relationship all by myself,
Fighting for someone, ignoring my health.
So here I am, learning to walk away,
Hoping for peace at the end of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Letting go isn\u2019t easy, it never will be,
But clinging to pain only drowns me.
I see you smiling, moving on with ease,
While I sit here, begging my heart to freeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year, I\u2019m choosing me,
My worth, my peace, my destiny.
It\u2019s not selfish; it\u2019s how I\u2019ll grow,
To love myself, to let the hurt go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One day, I\u2019ll look back and understand,
Why life didn\u2019t go exactly as planned.
For now, I\u2019ll take it one step, one breath,
And learn to rise from every death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because this? This is my story to tell,
And I\u2019m done staying trapped in this shell.
The weight will lift, the path will clear,
And I\u2019ll keep moving, without the fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Congrats to me, my heart set free,
Writing my next chapter, just wait and see.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You said you wanted something casual,Something simple, no strings, just natural.But I wasn\u2019t ready for that game,Tired of feeling like just a name. I\u2019ve been hurt too many times before,And now my heart won\u2019t take it anymore.The last thing I want this year to be,Is someone\u2019s backup, can\u2019t you see? It wasn\u2019t easy to accept […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3005,"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":[121,97,25,98],"tags":[35,49,67,50,61,55,53,22,48],"class_list":["post-3001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poem","category-poetry","category-solitude","category-storytime","tag-poems","tag-poetess","tag-preciousowoko","tag-spokenword","tag-spokenwords","tag-stories","tag-story","tag-walkingshadowpoetry","tag-walkingshadowpoetrykenya"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-27-154226.png?fit=434%2C639&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2600,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/a-life-of-closed-doors\/","url_meta":{"origin":3001,"position":0},"title":"A Life of Closed Doors","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 7, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I grew up with the word \"No\"Echoing through my life like a broken song,Each time I tried to reach for something,The world reminded me I didn\u2019t belong. As a child, I learned how to hide my heart,Burying it beneath layers of quiet pain,Rejection wasn't just a moment, it was a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"diverse young men bullying crying ethnic lady","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-6147126.jpeg?fit=1200%2C779&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-6147126.jpeg?fit=1200%2C779&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-6147126.jpeg?fit=1200%2C779&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-6147126.jpeg?fit=1200%2C779&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-6147126.jpeg?fit=1200%2C779&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3241,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/i-let-you-go-because-i-learned-to-love-me-too\/","url_meta":{"origin":3001,"position":1},"title":"I Let You Go, Because I Learned to Love Me Too","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"April 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I didn\u2019t just wake up feeling strong.That strength grew from late nights,Tear-stained pillows, and quiet prayers I barely managed to say.So many times, I couldn\u2019t breathe from the weight of questions I never got answers to.I kept asking myself what I did wrong,Why love couldn\u2019t fix it,Why I kept holding\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/DSC_0043-7.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/DSC_0043-7.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/DSC_0043-7.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/DSC_0043-7.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/DSC_0043-7.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3248,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/if-it-wasnt-love-why-did-it-hurt-like-this\/","url_meta":{"origin":3001,"position":2},"title":"\u201cIf It Wasn\u2019t Love, Why Did It Hurt Like This?\u201d","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"April 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I didn\u2019t plan this.Honestly, falling for you wasn\u2019t on my checklist.At first, you were just my person, my safe place,the one who made the world feel a little less loud. Over time, though, things began to shift.At first, it was subtle.Then gradually, your smile started feeling like home.And suddenly, your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9953-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9953-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9953-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9953-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3238,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/when-they-only-call-you-when-they-need-you-thats-not-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":3001,"position":3},"title":"“When They Only Call You When They Need You, That\u2019s Not Love.”","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"April 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I used to think that giving was love.That showing up for everyone,Even when I was barely standing,Was a badge of honor. At first, it felt good.They smiled.They called me reliable, dependable, selfless.And yes, I believed them. But as time went on,I started noticing things,Subtle at first, but then loud enough\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2bdf2e09128dc2b2299f096909ad8689.jpg?fit=236%2C354&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2679,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/the-quiet-thought-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3001,"position":4},"title":"The Quiet Thought by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s late, and the silence is loud,I\u2019m here, lying still, but my mind, it\u2019s a crowd.I\u2019ve thought about it, more than I should,What if I just\u2026 stopped? Would that be good? I lost my parent, and with them, my light,Now I\u2019m alone, nothing feels right.The pain doesn\u2019t leave, it just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"grayscale photo of a person writing on notebook","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.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\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2714,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/i-am-strong-i-will-survive-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3001,"position":5},"title":"I Am Strong, I Will Survive by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I am strong. I am great.No matter what comes, I won\u2019t break.I\u2019ve been through storms, I\u2019ve seen the rain,But I know that sunshine comes after pain. There are days when I feel weak,When life knocks me down, and the future feels bleak.But even then, I know I\u2019ll rise,Because with every\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a roaring lion","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-4032590.jpeg?fit=1033%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-4032590.jpeg?fit=1033%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-4032590.jpeg?fit=1033%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-4032590.jpeg?fit=1033%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3001","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=3001"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3001\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3006,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3001\/revisions\/3006"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3001"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3001"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3001"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}