Part I
You love me.
You say you take care of me,
you love me.
You hit me,
you love me.
You pressure me,
you love me.
You take advantage of me,
you love me.
You disrespect me,
you love me.
You traumatize me,
you love me.
You bully me,
you love me.
You stalk and harass me,
you love me.
Again, you say you take care of me,
but do you actually love me?
Part II
I love you.
You make me feel safe,
I love you.
You make me happy,
I love you.
You make me laugh no matter how bad I feel,
I love you.
You are kind,
I love you.
You are beautiful inside and out,
I love you.
You bring me coffee when I’m not feeling well,
I love you.
You are patient with me,
I love you.
You accept me,
I love you.
You are my home,
I love you.
You taught me what love is,
how could I not love you?
Context
A poem is a form of literature that allows us to express our feelings and thoughts through personal connections and experiences. Growing up, I never understood the significance of poetry until this past year. I wrote these poems on September 10th, 2021 when I had started my healing journey from a traumatic experience. The first poem expresses the pain and sadness I experienced throughout my first two years in college. The second poem shows the happiness I have found within myself and the people around me. These poems combined aim to display the difference between manipulative love and wholesome love.