Shattered silence

All I have is my pen and my paper,
When the words won’t come, and silence screams,
I turn to the page, where I can breathe,
Where thoughts spill out like shattered dreams.

My mouth is tight, my voice feels small,
But in the ink, I can steal it all—
The clutter, the noise, the endless fight,
Bouncing words like shadows in the night.

They tell me to be alone, to forget the past,
To learn to love myself, make it last.
But how can I, when doubt wears me thin?
I fight a war inside, unsure where to begin.

Imposter syndrome, cold and real,
Makes me question the woman I feel—
I know who I am, but the fear runs deep,
I’m Shavesha Steele, but can I even keep
The strength I’ve built, the life I’ve made,
When doubt’s grip keeps me afraid?

I am more than the weight I carry,
More than the scars that still make me wary,
Even when the world says, “You’re not enough,”
I will rise, even if it’s hard, even when it’s rough.