Strong Enough

All this time I thought I was
Strong enough to get by,
With just enough hope to see me through.
Building a smile upon my face
The foundation for a happy life,
And laughter as the walls that hold me still.
The scars on my hands
My decorations from memories of my life.
The pain slumbers in my mind
Like an old hound in front of the fireplace.

And after all this time
I look at my reflection in the mirror,
Old tears left their tracks down my cheeks,
Reminding me of every moment of sorrow.
I realize I am so much stronger now,
Than I ever was way back then.
I can stumble over the cracks in the road,
Skin my knees, but still be able to stand again.