Woman, be strong.

You hold yourself,

Hide in your own embrace,

Hands damp and knuckles gone white,

From holding too tight.

The tears that spring into your eyes,

Your eyes swell from the tears,

That’s what they live for;

They see and sneer,

Laugh in sick joy,

At the pain they brought you.

Girl, don’t lie low,

You deserve so much more,

Sympathy is for the weak.

Troubled times are not here to stay;

I don’t lie, I can’t, to you.

Don’t rip your heart out,

Don’t trip on self-pity,

Don’t grip the pricking words,

Don’t strip yourself of your wondrous soul.

Their feet trampling on hearts,

But they can’t trample on yours;

They’re like leeches,

Sucking out all essence of the being;

Show them that they can’t touch you,

You’re too strong for them.

Shun those self-deprecating thoughts,

You can’t be a bully,

But you also can’t let them bully you.

It’s your time to shine,

And the time is now.

Woman, be strong.