THIS IS HOW YOU GROW UP.

I watch it happen

That is a crime

My hands learned restrain

Before they learn courage

I wanted to break something-

Him, his mouth, his hands-

I wanted to break the rule that said

'stay quiet or make it worse'.

I was old enough to understand it all

But too young to say 'stop'.

So I stood guard instead of fighting

Turning my life in a lie

Smiled for the smaller one behind me.

Anger lived in my jaw

But I stayed quiet

Counting how many parts of myself

I can lose and still function.

They call it growing up-

I call it being forced-

To watch, to listen, to be part of

And to be stolen of my childhood.

                                       -REBELLIOUS SOUL.