9. blackballed

i don’t give in

to a system,

i don’t bite my tongue,

and i won’t let a soul

tell me what i write,

right or wrong,

i shape my stories,

place these words

on the page

and keep on fighting

as i wait for the day

where i get to bask

in the glory

of the success i made

that they all tried

to take away.

ever since i wrote “career,”

i’ve been blackballed,

the demons wanted me

to take the fall,

they’ve been haunting

and finding ways

to cause my failure

for far too long now,

feel like i’ve lived

every day

with my back planted

against the wall,

used to them wanting

to see me collapse,

but i’ll get my wins,

and on the way up,

they’ll be the ones

that’ll lose.

watch your chickens

come home to roost

for all the years

you threw me aside,

had so much pride

but out came the lies,

you tried to sabotage,

mess with my mind,

but try as they might,

i won’t fall down,

i’ll lead the way,

carve out my lane,

and when they try

to crawl back,

i’ll remind ‘em

of the times

where they turned,

tried to hold me down,

but you won’t put me out.

just wait and see.