Nothing Poem by Michael Adeleke

In the shadow of my actions, judgment loomed,
Every step, a misstep, they presumed.
From bad to worse, their verdict I faced,
Yet within, a determination embraced.

No longer cautious, my spirit took flight,
Around the town, I moved, pristine and white.
Though the family name in mud they'd cast,
Unfazed, I ventured forth, my past surpassed.

Disappointment, they labeled me with glee,
A carefree soul, they thought, living without decree.
'Lazy, ' they whispered, 'indolent' they declared,
Yet within, a fire ignited, unimpaired.

'Dirty his stupid, ' their voices did proclaim,
A chorus of critics, quick to place the blame.
'Proud, ' they claimed, for I wouldn't concede,
To their expectations, their notions, their need.

Stubbornness they saw, a trait they condemned,
'Heady, ' 'foolish, ' their words, like venom they'd send.
Accusations of disobedience took their flight,
A child, they thought, devoid of insight.

Destined for destruction, they aimed to mold,
Yet a spirit unyielding, my core, it would hold.
Agreements eluded, arguments held the reins,
A tempest of clashes, a symphony of strains.

'Irresponsible, ' the label they would bind,
A weight upon my shoulders, a verdict unkind.
Blamed for siblings' transgressions, unjustly accused,
An innocent heart burdened, emotions confused.

In the end, I stand, not defined by their decree,
A narrative rewritten, by the essence of me.
For 'nothing' I was named, yet within resides all,
Strength, resilience, and the will to stand tall.