Self-Portrait in Present Tense

Used to skip my own name

Like a track I didn’t like

Left my picture off the frame

Turned the camera to the sky

Counting every little failure

Like a prayer I never meant

Couldn’t see the quiet courage

In just showing up again

I’m making history a love story to myself

Writing all the margins where I once put someone else

Every broken chapter

I hold it like a medal on my shelf

I’m making history a love story to myself

(to myself, to myself)

I forgive the kid who hid

In the last row of the class

He was braver than he knew

He was trying not to crack

Now I talk to my reflection

Like an old familiar friend

Saying

“Look at what survived you

Look at who you are again”

I’m making history a love story to myself

Writing all the margins where I once put someone else

Every broken chapter

I hold it like a medal on my shelf

I’m making history a love story to myself

(to myself, to myself)

I used to beg for any witness

Now I’m learning how to be

The one who stays

The one who listens

When it’s only me and me (oh)

I’m making history a love story to myself

Learning how to love the boy nobody ever helped

Every scar and sentence

I underline the parts where I was held

I’m making history a love story to myself

(to myself, to myself)