You taught her to pretend

You Taught Her to Pretend

All I’m asking you to do

is not kill my inner child—

her peace, her kindness,

her belief in magic that hasn’t come true yet.

You care about what people will say,

but never once about what your child’s heart says.

You hush her.

You shame her.

You dress her in manners

so she can be approved by society.

But have you noticed—

she doesn’t feel safe with you anymore?

She weeps into her pillow

and asks the blanket to hold her

because your arms forgot how.

She now finds comfort in the moon and air.

She casually talks to Mother Nature—

because she knows

she’s listening,

and would never judge her.

You say you protect me from society,

but you gave me wounds that can’t be healed.

Because you injured my inner child.

Congratulations.

Now she doesn’t laugh truly—she just pretends.

Congratulations.

You taught her how to pretend.

                     REBELLIOUS SOUL.