THRIVE

Who do you think you are?
Who gave you the right?
She gave, you took
you lied, she cried.
You disappeared, she faded
You yelled, she sat in silence.
You broke her and she fell to pieces.
Who do you think you are?
You made excuses
She made you her everything
And when you finally left for good,
she was barely herself.
Little did you know
she put herself back together
She stopped crying for you.
She moved on,
while you still crave the control
She stopped caring and forgot you
While you realized you were lonely
She is stronger than you ever were.
You might never move on,
yet she made it.
She survived.
She won.


The poem is a narrative about a dysfunctional relationship, one where there is a clear imbalance of power and emotional resilience. The “you” in the poem appears to be a character who engages in harmful or manipulative behaviors, while the “she” is the recipient of these actions.

The phrase “Who do you think you are?” repeated twice (once at the start and once midway through) can be interpreted as a challenge to the antagonist’s entitlement or arrogance. This signifies questioning the person’s belief that they have the right to inflict harm and distress on others.

The lines such as “She gave, you took”, “you lied, she cried”, “You disappeared, she faded” portray a relationship dynamic where the “you” in the poem takes advantage of the “she”, causing her emotional distress and a loss of identity.

The theme of resilience and recovery becomes apparent in the later lines of the poem. “She put herself back together” signifies that the woman has found strength within herself to recover from the emotional damage inflicted upon her. She has moved on and has become stronger through this process.

“She stopped crying for you”, “She moved on”, and “She stopped caring and forgot you” emphasize that she has overcome the attachment to the antagonist and has found independence and self-sufficiency.

The line “While you realized you were lonely” suggests a form of poetic justice – while she has found her strength and independence, the “you” in the poem is now experiencing loneliness and loss, possibly as a consequence of their actions.

The final three lines, “She is stronger than you ever were”, “You might never move on”, and “She survived. She won” suggest that the woman has not only survived the abusive relationship but has also emerged victorious in her personal growth and recovery. It further implies the stagnation and unfulfilled life of the abuser, adding an extra layer of vindication for the woman’s journey.

Overall, the poem appears to tackle themes of abuse, recovery, resilience, and personal growth. It’s a narrative of moving from victimhood to victory.