too much

i've opened myself up
and you told me i was too much
that i needed to stop being
so much me

there was just too much me
for you to deal with

and so i made myself small
threw out the parts you didn't like
carved off my gangly limbs
erased my colours
dimmed my brightness

and tried again

and you told me i was perfect
you told me to never change

i looked in the mirror
and saw a stranger staring back
she was perfect
and you loved her
but i don't know who she is