I won't be you And I'm proud to say it I wear your face I wear the name You branded upon me I am the daughter The first born The first grandchild So much trauma And cyclical abuse Was thrust upon my poor soul Because you wanted me To hurt like you did You saw me as a way To get back at your abusers Changing the narrative Of your own abuse But I won't be like you I am patient The young Don't deserve to feel Like I did Like you did You could've changed it But you didn't You refused So I won't be you I never will No matter what you've Branded upon my skin Upon my mind Upon my soul The marks still sizzle And smokes So much so That everyone always asks if I have a light Or a smoke to share When they see the wounds I bear in your name The one you gave me And the way you ruined A soul that didn't understand Why you didn't want me Why you hated me For being me You made me And then tried to unmake me I won't be you I never will do What you did And what you allowed And I'm proud of it Even though all I see is you In my mirror I can't change my face But I can change me And I'm proud of me Even though you never will be.