The Shift Within

 I used to despise poetry and here I am,

Once afraid of dogs, but their wagging tails I now adore.

Talking to strangers used to fill me with dread,

Yet now I share my tales with anyone I've met.

I sense a shift deep within my soul,

Though some walls remain, hard to control.

I once ran from the shadows of the night,

But now I ride through the darkness, full of might.

I used to sleep through days and nights with ease,

Now I lie awake, waiting for peace.

From living in fear to fearing life itself,

My strengths and weaknesses sit on the same shelf.

Those who were by my side now seem miles away,

Promises made, now scattered and undone.

Everything has changed, except for a few,

Grateful for the constants that never left me behind.