Òyì nke e mepụtara

And not one voice Not one person said, That’s enough That’s when something inside me changed Not shattered Not cracked It went quiet I realized I had spent years trying to earn love that was never meant for me Trying to prove something to people who had already decided who I was And in that moment…

And not one voice Not one person said, That’s enough That’s when something inside me changed Not shattered Not cracked It went quiet I realized I had spent years trying to earn love that was never meant for me Trying to prove something to people who had already decided who I was And in that moment, I stopped I didn’t cry I didn’t speak I didn’t give them the reaction they expected I folded my napkin carefully Placed it beside my plate Stood up