Allow Me

I wasn't allowed to feel,

My emotions locked, my heart concealed.

I kept my feelings down, deep inside,

Afraid to show signs of weakness, I had to hide.

Something inside me died,

A piece of my soul, lost, and left to divide.

This pain, it had to go somewhere,

Trapped inside, it couldn't get out, couldn't share.

The pain that moved inside my body,

Knew exactly what this was about, it was nobody's duty.

Feelings that were never safe to feel,

Tears, trapped behind the eyes, a heart that couldn't reveal.

The weight that I carried all these years,

Made me realize I wasn't allowed to be who I was, through all my tears.

To be vulnerable, emotional, and free,

Was a luxury I couldn't afford, a part of me I had to bury.

I was told how to feel, told what was real,

And I was never allowed to be me, to truly feel.

My emotions were policed, my heart controlled,

Leaving me a shell, a fragment of my soul.

But now, I'm taking back my voice,

My emotions, my heart, my choice.

Let the river of tears now flow,

Let the waves set me free, let my spirit glow.

Allow me to feel, allow me to heal,

And allow me to finally be me, to reveal.

Now I give myself permission,

To feel, to cry, to be vulnerable, to live.

I tell myself, it's okay to cry,

You'll never have to hold it in, or give an explanation why.

It's okay to feel, to be emotional, to be me,

I'm finally free, I'm finally me.

Ashley Marie ❤️‍🩹☺️

This version maintains the core of my original poem that I shared on my Facebook page. I hope it resonates with you & conveys the vulnerability & freedom I'm expressing.