I’ve been abused, misused, chewed, and spewed!
Yet I refuse to lose, give up, give in, lie down, quit, stop, and be still.

I’ve been up and down, in and out, hungry and full, cold and hot, tried and full of energy.

I’ve been knocked down, knocked out, ran down, run over, run down, defeated, punched, robbed, and stomped!

I’ve been chased, caught, locked up, locked down, locked out, put out, put down, let down, and pushed down!

I’ve been hated, despised, envied, oppressed, depressed, and stressed!

I’ve been profiled, stereotyped, judged, criticized, deceived, manipulated, tricked, and denied!

I’ve been fired, laid off, laid down, put off, told off, told on, turned in, and turned out!

I’ve been arrested, apprehended, accused, detained, and chained!

Yet only because I’ve been loved I remain!