I am
from a compact, dysfunctional family
from where the smiles became frowns
from incalculable happiness, to faint spirits and sunken thoughts...

I am
from wishful thinking and asking God to answer my prays
from “Everything will get better” to “Maybe he will change”
from wanting a picture perfect family, to being told to “keep dreaming…””

I am
from living as child to morphing to adult at seven
from playing in the sun to sobbing to the police, why Daddy hit me again
from being told “You”re our world,” to “I wish you were never born…”

I am
from shielding my face and hiding behind the tears
from drunk driving nightly and missing each car by a strand of hair
from yelling for no reason, to staying at Meeme’s for the night...

I am
from mutating to sweet innocent girl to heartless, inhuman, merciless soul
from “No, Daddy's not here”
from visiting him in jail, to feeling numb to every letter I received...

I am
from “Your dad was on the news last night”
from the laughing, bulling and moving schools three times
from “Mommy, why is this happening?” to she saved me...

I am
from a compact, dysfunctional family
from where the smiles became frowns
from incalculable happiness, to faint spirits and sunken thoughts...