I cried because I was glad
that it felt like
the past was finally over
I could start a new chapter
in my story
I could turn a new leaf
and grow a tree
Every ring in the bark
wouldn’t be as bad as the bite
Whatever happened happened;
from the things I did
or didn’t do,
said or didn’t say,
from what happened to me
or to what I did to myself
or to others
I didn’t have to let the tide take me away
I could finally be free