Why Did I Stay? Poem by Natasha Dowdy

Why did I stay?

I stayed because I didn't know I could leave
Because my mother said I'd have a good life.
I stayed.

I stuck it out, chose my battles.
I didn't know love wasn't a battlefield,
So, I stayed.

I stayed when he said, "You'll never find anyone better! ", because I believed him.
He knew who I was.He saw it.
And if only he could convince me that that wasn't me,
I'd stay.

Until staying meant I would die.
And my soul has too much fire to be extinguished.
So, I left.
And I took all the burning pieces of me and set his world on fire.