Dear Self Poem by Angela Bontle Ditumiso

People have familiarized themselves with my body, my life before I did
They told me who to be, what to feel, I obliged
Maybe I'm my greatest enemy
My hand though under external influence
Have tuned my body and mind
Until I was a stranger to myself
I say my name but I'm unsure about it now
I feel like going on a search party
Looking for the girl
I was told not to be

Yes, I have betrayed you
But I promise to right my wrong
To throw away their strands
And wake the part of myself
I thought I had no right to learn
I will love you
And I will love you better
Because I will love you
For who you are