BITTER TRUTH

I came to the water
Seeking tides of emotion
A fluid energetic mirror
For my psyche

Maybe you were right
Maybe I was hopelessly codependent
Obsessive even
Maybe we are both
Better off alone

I see the harm I caused
I tried too hard
I stole your space
To solve your own problems

I thought I was nurturing
But I created dependency
Fueling unhealthy tendencies
Our spirits enmeshed
So many healthy no’s left unsaid

My first insight was easier
Realizing that I am better off
It is much harder to accept the bitter truth
That you are better off as well

So much of my identity
Wrapped up in our friendship
So much invested
Crafting my imagined lineage

I am learning from this pain
These waters of grief teach me
Showing me possibilities
What healthy boundaries might have been

So I am grateful for the pain
I am grateful for the loss
For this allows me to grow

This is truth
And it is bitter
The pain guides me
And my eyes are finally open

I savor the pain
Realizing that it hurts
Because I let myself love
I let myself believe in someone
And I will hold to that purpose
But I will build on healthy foundations

The pain still cuts
Blood still flows
Sanguinating the water
But I find radical acceptance
Finding hope and insight
As I swim in grief stricken waters

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
art by @miboso on X
–BYPO PHOENIX c)2026