Cherie Burbach - The Difference Now

The difference now
is when pushed
I push back.

The difference now
is when I’m hurt
I’ll cry
openly
unashamed.
Why should I hide it?
Or pretend that I don’t care?
You know you hurt me.
My pretending only helped you,
not me.

The difference now
is that I’ll fight for the life
I want to live
and not the one
you think I should live.

The difference now
is that I make the definitions
and throw yours away.

The difference now
is when I walk in a room
and you guiltily look at each other
and stop talking
I’ll wonder who you’ll blame
for the problems in your life
after I move on.

The difference now
is that when you’re laughing
behind my back
I realize I must be ahead of you
and I’ll keep going.

Cherie Burbach

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-difference-now/