So you want to get to know me
All of me
The true me
Just give me a minute
I need time to consider what I have
And what I’ve lived in
What I have done
And what I’ve forgiven
So I know what’s acceptable to tell you

I go home to the pitter patter of footsteps
On cold the floors
And snores
Loudly unblocked by doors
With two large heads in beds and
Four smaller ones bobbing around the chilled air
That’s confined to the four small walls
Of the home that surrounds it

After hours of stress and strain
The food I've made
Is quickly given
To ungrateful children
Then it's off to bed with them
With no parent to kiss
Foreheads sweetly
No "Goodnight dear"
To conjure sweet dreams

Over-the-phone shouts can be heard
From small beds
Another all nighter
The poor small heads
Crying themselves to sleep
Hoping to god
It's not their fault

Morning brings put downs
Spat out by
Loud shouts
Directed at anyone
Who steps on the even
The wrong floorboard
Small heads scramble to get ready for
Another unexcused tardy
As the big ones slump
From bed
To closet
And back again
As every morning goes
I am the only one
Who can effectively awaken
The beasts called
Parents

Then comes the ride and
The drop off
The screaming of tires behind me
Is the big heads way of saying
“Bye”

Quickly and quietly
I shuffle into my seat at the table
With all eyes on me
I can see
That the teacher isn’t happy with my
Everyday
Unintentional
Interruption
Another day of the silent treatment
From my so called “peers”

School hours go by
And finally
I get to go back
Home
To restart
The yet to end cycle

You wanted to get to know me
All of me
The true me
So I took a minute to tell you
The almost every day
Of a few years past
It hasn't always been this easy
And yes this is easy
But this was me