After The Rage

It's quiet now
Too quiet

Hands still shaking, room still loud
Even with the silence here
Words were knives, thrown too fast
Now they echo in my head
Adrenaline still in my veins
Heart forgot how to slow
Victory tastes a lot like loss
When you're left alone

The fire's gone from the room
But it lives in my chest
I won the war in my voice
Still lost the rest

After the rage, I'm still burning
No flames, just heat in my skin
Crowns fell hard, truth was spoken
But the hurt stayed in
After the rage, I'm still standing
Ash in my breath, no crown to claim
You felt the fire for a moment
I live with the remains

Every answer came too late
Every promise cracked in two
I said everything out loud
Still don't know what's true
The rush is fading from my bones
Leaves a hollow ache behind
Not relief, not regret
Just the weight of time

If this is what's left of the fight
I'll wear it slow
Not a scream, not a sob
Just a low glow

After the rage, I'm still burning
No smoke, but I can't breathe in
Crowns were empty, loyalty shattered
And I saw it then
After the rage, I'm still standing
Not forgiven, not the same
You walked away from the fire
I stayed with the flame

I don't need closure
I need quiet
I need time
To let the shaking stop
And decide
What survives

After the rage, I'm still burning
Not to destroy, not to forget
Just learning how to exist
With what's left
After the rage, I'm still breathing
Heat under scars, calm in pain
The fire didn't end me
It changed my shape

Not ashes
Embers