Devil in the Flesh

Early on I was able to see
What you had hidden underneath
Behind your fraudulent mask
Pure fiction hiding behind your teeth

The true you was buried
Deep down inside of you
Sheltered from those within your life
Quietly suppressing something askew

You projected a fake persona
In order to protect your illusion
As a kind and loving human being
Versus evil set on retribution

You focused on creating misery
While neglecting my basic needs
You ignored my pleads for mercy
While planning the next malicious deed

Your continuous brutality
Created an unstable place in my mind
I never claimed to be perfect
Nor did I expect to be so maligned

I quickly recognized the difference
Between what is right vs wrong
Such as your toxic, abusive behavior
By someone who allegedly loved me all along

You were expected to shield me from harm
Yet exhibited disgraceful behavior
Which led to haunting trauma
Offered up as if you were doing me a favor

When challenged, you chose to react
Abruptly with vicious false claims
You blamed me for your despicable actions
As if you were the victim and I were to blame

You are malevolent and dead inside
You fiercly refuse to concede
That your insolence was atrocious
And your hatred for me was the seed

That grew stronger and further intense
As you obsessed and often dwelled
On what steps you would choose next
While making my life a living hell

You told me that no one could save me
And I learned so well how to hide
Evidence of your wrongdoing
And prayed to God that I would not die

At the hand of a serial offender
Who reveled in the thought of my pain
And anguish that you habitually inflicted on me
Which led to me becoming emotionally drained

With all of the evil you projected
Upon me each day of my life
Slowly suffocating my innocence
And the bright light temporarily existing inside

No one who genuinely loves you
Would treat you in such a disgraceful way
Love is not hate, pain or abuse
But you refuse to listen to what I try to say

Please tell me why you would choose this
How could anyone deserve this much pain
I could not be who you truly wanted
What would you have to gain

My life became a cautionary tale
To not always trust those with authority
Trust your instincts and look out for signals
Acknowledging red flags should be a priority

I mustered up the courage
To rebel against the odds
And finally walk away from you
A person who is fake and a fraud

A new opportunity changed my life
In an instant, I felt a real connection
Unfortunately, I am still slightly broken
However, I am not striving for perfection

When I chose to take charge of my life
To walk away from the devil in the flesh
It was to obtain my own freedom
From the hell you created in this mess

You acted oblivious to the horrors
You subjected me to each day
When pimping me out as an object
Or possession you had to display

Thinking of you now makes my skin crawl
Raw from what you have done
What you had others do upon my body
Vile things that cannot be undone

Goodbye was the only way out
Of your intrusive mental prison
Your words often cut deep
Your lies would lead to more hazardous decisions

Thankfully I am now on a path of healing
Allowing myself to evolve
Growing more confident and secure
Allowing memories of you to dissolve

But I will never allow myself
To fall for your cons and lies
Or believe that love equals abuse
I have unearthed your clever guise

You tried to suppress my dignity
By selling out my soul
But my life has taken me places
That you will never know

Your opinions are no longer relevant
And you are not of any importance to me
You no longer control my life
And for that I can finally breathe