I don’t burn bridges over bad days. Hell, I’ve rebuilt a few I should’ve let rot away. But forgiveness ain’t permission to keep doing the same shit. I’ve swallowed words that would’ve started wars, let shit slide I should’ve settled before. Watched you confuse my silence with retreat, like because I didn’t swing, I must’ve been weak. I remember who you were when times got thin, remember every mile and the shit we were in. But yesterday don’t own what I tolerate, and an old handshake don’t excuse new hate. You keep testing boards like they’ll never break, putting more weight on every step I take. Then act surprised when I finally decide there ain’t a damn thing left on the other side. I can forgive a lot. I can carry scars. But don’t confuse a long history with permission to go too far. I’ll burn this bridge with my boots still on it, watch every memory fall through the flame. If the only road back costs me my respect, then I don’t need a road back anyway. You thought I’d never strike the match ’cause I’d have nowhere left to run… I KNOW HOW TO SWIM!!! Some people keep every door unlocked, scared they’ll need that hand they should’ve dropped. Keep rotten ties tied out of fear, dragging dead weight year after year. If I have to choke myself just to keep you comfortable, you can keep the rope. I don’t need revenge. I don’t need you hurt. You can keep your side. I’ll keep mine. But there’s only so much shit that I’ll let fly. My patience wasn’t fear. My quiet wasn’t surrender. I was giving you room to remember. I let it slide, but not for free, every little slight stayed right here with me. You thought I’d forgotten every time you crossed that line. I was keeping count the whole damn time. You counted years. I counted warnings. You counted memories. I counted lines you crossed. You thought history made you untouchable. History just made me wait longer before I lit the match. BURN THAT FUCKING BRIDGE WITH MY BOOTS STILL ON IT!!! Let every rotten board collapse behind me. I won’t bite my tongue, I won’t bend my back, just to keep somebody standing beside me. Let it burn. Let it fall. Let the river take it all. If respect ain’t waiting when I reach your shore… THEN THERE AIN’T A BRIDGE WORTH SAVING ANYMORE!!! I KNOW HOW TO FUCKING SWIM!!! There are worse things than losing people, like losing yourself trying to keep’em. I’ll take the water.
