Pushing The Needle Too Far

Is it hard for you to see me surviving and thriving when I've
let go of, rejected, turned my back on everything you gave me,
wanted for me, forced upon me?
Do you grit your teeth when I'm
happy, content, at peace,
in spite of you and your twisted assumptions about my life?
How often do you wish for
unhappiness, discontent, restlessness
to get to me, to change the way I live?
Can you let go of your
hurt feelings, stubborn pride, preconceived notions
long enough to listen and understand?

 No.
You continue to clarify, falsify, justify your words
while you mortify, petrify, crucify my dignity
on a cross of righteous concern.
I'm left to fortify, purify, ramify my actions
to pacify you.
You can't judge me for what I haven't said or done.

You've pushed me too far.
I used to be an honest person
because I didn't want to cause you pain. Now
my integrity has been compromised
because the meaningful things I tell you
become ammunition for future attacks.
I would rather be damned for lying
than damn you for doing the same to me.
Because at least you don't believe my lies.

Just because my life doesn't look
the way you envisioned it.
Consider this:
maybe what you want for me
isn't what I want for me.
And you have no right to pain me into acquiescence.

Your hopes spell the death of everything I love,
all to satisfy your
consistent, insistent, persistent need to be right.
All I want now is to prove you wrong.