This Is Me

I am me, myself, and I.
Don't stereotype or judge me for being
Everything I am now.
Never regret anything
This is who I am.
I am who I am.
That is what you'll see and what you get.
You will not judge me.

But, that is a little cliche.
Not to mention tripe.
I suppose I am all that I can be.
But, everyone hides behind something.
A veil,
A mask,
A pained smile,
They're all signs to a person.

I've been kicked down,
I've been thrown around,
I've been told, "you'll never be that, change it!"
I've been picked on, spat on...
I've never been broken.

So many thoughts.
So many opportunities missed.
So many friends lost.
So many arguments.
So many hits.

Oh, but no one cared.
I screamed for help.
I cried for help.
I fought for help.
No one came.
No one cared.
LOOK AT ME, I NEED HELP.

What's that I see?
Can it be salvation?
Can it be what I've wanted?
Yes! Yes! Oh, thank you!

Eventually, I got better.
Eventually, I got smarter.
Eventually, I got tougher.
Eventually, I became me.

You wouldn't know of it, of course.
It's something I keep locked up and put away.
It's like a bad monster that deserved to be forgotten.
Because... I have moved on from it.
I keep on walking away from it.
I keep on getting stronger.

Since then, I've been better.
I've been more talkative.
I've been better.
I've been me.

Now, here I am.
Eighteen years old.
About to start college and life for real...
To my friends, I thank you.
To my family, I thank you.
To everyone? Thank you.

Who am I?
I can safely say
That I am me
And that is all there is to it.