Everyone remembers childhood

With fondness.

But sometimes,

It's not so for everyone,

And childhood can be

Truly dark and twisted.

But teens today are looking

For attention.

They are normal.

When is a five-year-old

Holding a knife to her heart 

And thinking I wonder what 

It will feel like

Normal?

When is a six-year-old

Hiding in her older brother's room

With a packed backpack 

And plans to hide behind McDonald's

Amd eat paper,

Because her dad is yelling,

And her mom is yelling back,

And his face is red,

And the girl knows

That the half-empty cans

Have something to do with it

Normal?

When is a six-year-old

Hiding

Almost every day,

Because her father might 

Turn his anger towards

Her and her older brother

With a younger brother 

Too young to understand 

Normal?

When is a seven-year-old 

Crying herself to sleep,

Because her parents are

Screaming and throwing things,

And even though the words aren't

About her, they pierce her heart

Normal?

When is an eight-year-old

Blaming herself for

Her Uncle's death,

Because her faith in God

Isn't as strong as others

Normal?

When is a young girl

Allowing herself to be pushed around

And bullied, because that's 

All she's ever known 

Normal?

As a seventh grader,

that same young girl,

Cut herself,

And then decided cutting

Wasn't worth it.

As a ninth grader,

the young girl

Had an anxiety attack 

For the first time,

And attempted to take her

Own life.

.........................

But I'm normal.