From The Start

———–

You were brought into this world

by selfish people

who stood in their own painful broken hearts

who lied & drug you around by your long bowed braids

You felt ugly & alone all the time

whether in tutus or beaten boots

You had a pony & a unicorn & a Barbie doll but what did they matter

When your own thoughts frightened you?

Dusty roads, soft pencils on paper,

sunlight through the trees

You tried to be happy by singing to yourself, writing & imagining

You imagined your siblings were better off

You imagined no one would ever love you

You imagined you’d never be beautiful

but you kept trying

even though you felt exposed & invisible all at once

You wrote down your dreams, you painted, you kept singing & writing

You jumped quietly, drank milkshakes & cut out pictures from magazines

You knew it was up to you to keep reading

to keep moving

to keep reaching out

to keep reaching in

And outgrow the wounded womb