{"id":3481,"date":"2025-12-08T15:51:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T15:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/?p=3481"},"modified":"2025-12-08T15:52:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T15:52:00","slug":"it-was-extremely-hard-being-a-1st-born-daughter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/it-was-extremely-hard-being-a-1st-born-daughter\/","title":{"rendered":"IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD BEING A 1ST BORN DAUGHTER."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I grew up where the wind carried old stories,<br>at my grandpa\u2019s place,<br>a home held together by love,<br>even on the days when a meal was a prayer<br>and breakfast was a blessing we hoped for,<br>not something we expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Childhood taught me lack<br>before it taught me laughter.<br>It taught me how to fold hunger into silence,<br>how to pretend the world was normal<br>even when my body needed things<br>nobody talked about in whispers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I missed pads the way others missed holidays,<br>and in that quiet ache,<br>I looked for belonging in the wrong arms,<br>searching for comfort in someone<br>who only knew how to take,<br>never how to stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was still young<br>when life placed motherhood in my hands\u2014<br>a tiny heartbeat<br>that reminded me how strong a girl can be<br>even when she feels like she\u2019s breaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The baby daddy ran,<br>left his shadow behind and nothing more.<br>But I stayed.<br>Held my son close,<br>taught him that love doesn\u2019t run,<br>that strength doesn\u2019t make excuses,<br>that a mother\u2019s heart can build a home<br>out of pieces she gathered on her knees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Raising him alone<br>was walking barefoot on life\u2019s sharp stones,<br>but every step taught me power.<br>Every tear taught me prayer.<br>Every morning, I rose again\u2014<br>even when yesterday tried to bury me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was extremely hard\u2026<br>being the first daughter,<br>bearing the weight of expectations,<br>carrying families on tired shoulders,<br>fighting battles I never had the language for.<br>But somehow,<br>in all this heaviness,<br>I learned how to breathe again,<br>how to stand again,<br>how to smile without pretending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My story is not polished,<br>it is stitched with scars,<br>braided with strength,<br>and lit by a fire<br>that life failed to put out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I grew from what was meant to crumble me.<br>And even now,<br>with my hands still healing,<br>I hold my head up high<br>because I know,<br>I am still rising,<br>still becoming,<br>still rewriting the girl who lacked\u2026<br>into a woman who overcame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/africa-is-loud-and-silent-on-painful-cases\/\">AFRICA IS LOUD AND SILENT ON PAINFUL CASES SPOKENWORD<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/p\/1AJHB6fLrV\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/p\/1AJHB6fLrV<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Realities of adulting | Spoken word by walking shadow poetry |  poet\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4G1MnSXX8cw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I grew up where the wind carried old stories,at my grandpa\u2019s place,a home held together by love,even on the days when a meal was a prayerand breakfast was a blessing we hoped for,not something we expected. Childhood taught me lackbefore it taught me laughter.It taught me how to fold hunger into silence,how to pretend the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3482,"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":[35,49,34,67,50,61,55,53,22,48],"class_list":["post-3481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poem","category-poetry","category-solitude","category-storytime","tag-poems","tag-poetess","tag-poetry","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\/12\/MG_0342-scaled.jpg?fit=1707%2C2560&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3267,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/i-love-you-so-much\/","url_meta":{"origin":3481,"position":0},"title":"I Love you so much.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"April 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I love you...More than words could ever fully explain.At first, I didn\u2019t believe I could love again,because life, over time, had taught me how to build walls,not bridges. You see, I had been broken not once,but too many times to still count.And honestly, I had lost hope,lost pieces of myself\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","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_0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/DSC_0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/DSC_0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/DSC_0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/DSC_0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3194,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/to-the-one-who-held-my-hand-first\/","url_meta":{"origin":3481,"position":1},"title":"To the One Who Held My Hand First.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"April 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Before I knew how to hold a pencil,you held my hand.Before I could write my name,you whispered it with love, again and again.Before I could count from one to ten,you counted on me.You believed I could,even when I didn\u2019t know what \u201cI can\u201d meant. You were more than just a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","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\/6960c1d2c2fa124d79e52fbac1e1a921.jpg?fit=236%2C354&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3485,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/the-hidden-power-of-alone-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":3481,"position":2},"title":"The hidden power of alone time","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"December 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I don\u2019t compete against anyone.Not the people beside me,not the ones ahead of me,not the ones watching from a distance. The only person I\u2019m racingis the version of myselfI promised I would become. I compete against my past recordsthe things I said I would achieveand never did,the dreams I postponed,the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"PRECIOUS OWOKO","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Black-and-White-Square-Wedding-Logo-2.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3503,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/in-this-intense-and-powerful-battlefield-i-dont-compete\/","url_meta":{"origin":3481,"position":3},"title":"In this intense and powerful Battlefield, I don&#8217;t compete","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"January 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I don\u2019t compete against anyone.My battlefield is not another person\u2019s lane.My race is not their pace.I compete against my past\u2014my old records,my forgotten dreams,the promises I whispered to myselfand never fulfilled. So I challenge me.I chase the version of myselfthat once felt impossible.I look up to those ahead of me,not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/xacEsG4Cyfg\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3283,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/i-love-you-so-much-mummy\/","url_meta":{"origin":3481,"position":4},"title":"I love you so much Mummy","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"May 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"You held me before I knew my name,Wiped my tears before I learned to cry.You stood behind me when I was weak,And smiled for me when I couldn\u2019t try. You didn\u2019t wear a crown or robe,But you ruled with love so true.You worked with tired, gentle hands,And still made time\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"pregnant woman in white long sleeve dress","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-photo-5853667.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\/05\/pexels-photo-5853667.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-photo-5853667.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-photo-5853667.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3087,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/you-found-me-and-i-met-love-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3481,"position":5},"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 &quot;poem&quot;","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":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3481","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=3481"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3483,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3481\/revisions\/3483"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}