Poetry Pop-Up: Laila Thompson

“I am a junior Writing Communications major, and I write poetry to help me process emotions I wouldn’t get out otherwise. “

wrong person, wrong time

by Laila Thompson 

i felt shame when i couldn’t leave you

when you told me you’d make it right this time

when i left your house crying for the third time this week

when i caught you flirting with girls online again and again and again

i felt shame when everyone begged me to end things

when they told me that being with you was hurting everyone

when they heard you scream at me for the fifth time in a single night

when they had to comfort me because you took joy in making me miserable

i felt shame when i knew they were right

when i moved to college and you were still at home

when i became a grown adult and you were still a whiny child

when i took you yelling at me about god-knows-what for the very last time

i felt shame when i left you

when you told me you deserved another chance

when you tried to contact me over and over to make me feel guilty

when you accused me of cheating on you even though you knew me better than that

i feel shame that i didn’t do it sooner

that you lied to me over and over and over again

that all of my friends watched me become a shell of myself

that i was just someone you took advantage of until i was of no use to you