Little Bit At A Time Poem by AnnaMarie Jenema

My heart was a blackened gem,
a diamond in it's corse, rough shape,
It needed polishing from all it's cracks,
family did not need me,
friends wouldn't allow me to join them,
adults called such an outrageous name as 'perfect',
Yet, no one understands me,
my way of thinking,
why I say what trembles from my lips,
they don't know.
I hurt people and feared myself,
I had a shadow with a knife,
plunging it deep into their hearts,
I cowered in the corner,
not wanting the shadow to come out and play ever again,
I hated myself,
for crying at their words,
for the jealousy that overflowed at their talent,
at my unfelt temper,
now I begin to change,
little by little,
bit by bit,
My vision expands,
I meet new people who will actually encourage my ever frowning mouth to hold a smile,
I laugh,
Happiness soars close-by,
what I couldn't grasp before,
has it finally landed in sight?
or will such a delicate butterfly only flit away?
All I know is that my heart is melting,
and my flower of passion for what I hold dearest is slowly blooming again