The Best Gift of All
When you stopped being the goal
The pain in having you was clear
Your effervescent validation sparkled a little less
So died the hope for kindness and genuine love
Crushed by your constant withdraw
Any wish for mutual respect or admiration
Dashed on the rocks of a narcissistic shore
The dream of a united future was just a mirage
As your hand steered us to the brink time and time again
No depth of love can be measured
If love withheld is a weapon
When your nod of approval
Was no longer the measure of my masculinity
Your expectations glared in the light of control
Manipulation and malfeasance
The tools used to enslave the heart
Are hard to see without some distance
Nothing you had given was priceless
Each thing tarnished by your own wants
When having your back meant being led or left behind
Because I can’t fix your insecurities
It was only when it all stopped
When I could no longer stay in safety
That the true nature of our union was seen
It was not the better person I was with you
That brought any strength of character
But how much better I was without you
That has fueled the greatest personal growth
All the things not given were the best gift of all
commonsensiblyspeaking 
Well written. It resonated within me as I read it, wondering if I knew of whom you were writing…