Then and Now, Still Me is a deeply personal and powerful book-length poem that tells the story of growing up, breaking, surviving, and becoming. What begins as a childhood filled with church, laughter, and real friendship slowly shifts into a life marked by pain, trauma, family conflict, and the heavy feeling of never getting anything right. Through raw and emotional verses, the author shares experiences of loss, survival, and searching for love and stability in a world that kept changing. From leaving home, to navigating relationships, to facing moments that reshape everything, this story is honest, unfiltered, and real. It does not hide the pain—but it also does not end there. At its core, this book is about survival. It is about learning how to carry what happened without letting it define who you are. It is about growth, self-discovery, and slowly finding your voice after everything tried to silence it. Then and Now, Still Me is for anyone who has ever felt lost, blamed themselves for things they didn’t cause, or struggled to see their own worth. This is not just a story about the past. It is a story about becoming.