Was it really so long ago?
so long since a small heart
drawn on the top of my hand
meant something to me

was it really so long ago,
that someone cared enough
about me
to leave a voicemail
on my phone
just to say
“you are loved,
you mean something”

was it really so long ago?
so long since my life
held innocence

was it really so long ago,
that when someone held my hand
butterflies awoke
flirting nervously in my stomach

was it really so long ago?
so long since the battles
I fought
were fought
with plastic swords
and paper hats

was it really so long ago,
that I looked
in the mirror
at someone I was proud of

was it really so long ago?
so long since I could sleep
sleep without exhausting
my body and mind

was it really so long ago,
that love was pure
that love had no cost
that my body

and my mind
were not casualties

was it really so long ago?
so long since I could go
without a day
of feeling inferior
of having tears
wait under my eyelids

was it really so long ago,
that I functioned
without a fear
of breaking
[cracking]
into smaller pieces
of an already
broken
being

was it really so long ago?