it was when you told me
he locked you in a cage
made you bark
loud and constant
until you cried
but you continued
when he grabbed you
twisted your arms
pushed you against walls
leaving holes and bruises
darker then the old ones
but you continued
he degraded you
yelled at you
told you had no value
that your breath was wasted
to stop altogether
but you continued
he tied you up
smacked you around
cut lines on your body
let them heal
before cutting again
but you escaped
now years later
your face came to me
out on the crowded street
it was different then before
like it had overcome
the hardships of the past
that you told me of
when i was young and weak