Sunday, August 15, 2021

they never tell you

No one ever tells you
How much it all affects you
When you're young

They don't tell you–
These trees, these drives
These hands, this land–
They don't leave you for a long time

This same aching feeling 
This pounding in your chest, 
This sweat on your brow,
The curiosity and confusion,
It's still there

Twenty years later
It's all right under the surface
The burning shame,
The fear in your throat,
At night under the covers
When your mind won't sleep

No one tells you
How you'll always remember
Your favorite shirt in third grade
Or how he made fun of your voice
Or the way your parents touched you

They don't tell you 
How you'll remember 
The absences or
How one angry yell can cover
A whole year of kindness

They don't tell you that
This– right now
It never really goes away
This too is a mercy–
That they don't tell you

That you will do the same thing

2 comments:

  1. yikes oLIVIa. its not like you had to punch me with your words that hard wowwww xoxo xxx

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    Replies
    1. I LOVE U !!!!!!! would never intentionally hurt u with my words,, but here we are

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