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