You’re wrong, I scream it at the top of my lungs, exhausting myself

You do not impact my life

Every breath I take is on my own agenda, not yours

Every laugh I make is for myself, not you, your soul does not deserve the pleasure of hearing it 

My joy is free and true, a spirit so light, no longer hindered by you

I am happy by my own doing, I freed myself from your deadly shackles

I left your city, even your state

I am me now, without a trace of you to disgrace me 

But my face resembles you, I have your nose

My last name is the same, connecting us by four detrimental letters

When I visit your world everyone reminds me of our indistinguishable features

How can I forget your presence when everything in my life is a painful memory

Why must I accept this life when all its brought me is pain

I wish to change my face, but doing so would acknowledge the power you have over me 

That you do, in fact, control my thoughts

And I will not admit that you have the capability to change me

So I smile and laugh like you don’t influence my brain

I take deep breaths, not out of exhilaration, but to stop my mind from this way of thinking

Trying to convince myself that you cannot govern me but I know that’s not the truth

I smother myself in makeup so I won’t see two faces in every mirror I pass

You do impact my life  

My gut wrenches when I say that, but it’s true 

I can never escape the face of you