We tend to focus on the wrong things, forgetting what's important
When I was six years old I thought that life was always happy
But as I grew up my mind got contorted
Into what people whispered under their breath
And the word 'love' being thrown around like it was nothing
When I reached the age of seventeen my view of life was death
I now understand that love isn't always true
And that some men can't own up to their mistakes
For the longest time my parents didn't think I knew
But it's very hard to hide fake love in front of a teen
Because school did teach me at least one thing
It was that adults aren't always truthful to young kids like me
Because they don't want to mess up the family 'dynamic'
But what they didn't realize is that it had been ******* up for years
Yeah, I've downed a couple beers
If I keep things from them, of course they're keeping secrets from me
Mom, you don't have to lie to me
I've seen worse things
I just wish you would tell me the truth
Is there a reason you're sleeping in a different room?
Dad, please stop disappearing
I don't know where you go but mom would like to know
You don't answer your phone
You act as if you're not apart of our family
Your cover is blown
You eat at the dinner table absently
You never have time for us
Check your watch it's almost seven
You should be home by now
You would have thought you'd learn your lesson
I can't do this
Watch my family fall apart
It's been going on long enough
It breaks my ******* heart
Please stop this
I didn't ask for a separated family
When I was young we were so great
What happened to that fantasy
I grew up
That's what happened
I started to realize through my grown up eyes
That life isn't what it looks like on the outside
You have to look deep within to notice all the lies
The husband is a cheater
The mother is a forgiver
The son has been gone
But the daughter was like a river
She cried all night
Asking God why is this happening?
My family has been falling apart
And you sit back as it's unraveling
Help her!
She's my mother and I love her
She's hurting and she's trying
But she never gets anything in return
Help him!
He's my father and I love him
He's disappearing and he's blind
And he doesn't see what's right in front of him
A family who loves him
But he's been looking for other things
We try to give him all his needs
But we fail to do so
And the darkness proceeds
I get jealous of these other kids
With the families that are together
They care for one another
And they play games every night
They go out to eat on the weekends
And I'm stuck here despite
All the stories I have about our wonderful past
Too bad that we couldn't last
We had so many more adventures to go on
I wish I was six years old again
But I guess we can't all win
So I'll sit back on the sidelines
And watch my family slip by
This is the year my family fell apart
Not together in distance and never in heart.

Inspired by Devan Ducasse, fellow HP writer*

"You're upset, I can tell,
You know I'll never hurt you, right?
Just stop crying."
He says

And I stopped crying.

"I hate always fighting with you,
It's my fault babe,
Why don't you just apologize."
He says

And I apologized.

"We need to stop having ***,
I want to focus on you,
Take off your clothes, bad girl."
He says

And I let him take off my clothes.

"We spend too much time on our phones,
I'm sorry I don't make you a priority,
It's nothing babe, get off my case."
He says

And I believed him.

"I need to do more for you,
Would you like red or pink roses,
Go buy your own **** flowers."
He says

And I did.

"I'm going out with the guys,
I promise to stay out of trouble,
I'm not drunk, *****."
He says

And I didn't say a word.

"I should compliment you more,
You're the most beautiful girl in the world,
Wow, that chick has to be a model."
He says

And I didn't state my opinion.

"I can be your shoulder to cry on,
What's wrong with my baby girl,
I swear I'm listening."
He says

But I know he isn't.

"I love you for your heart,
Your personality is what caught my eye,
Your body is mine."
He says

And I didn't disagree.

"I want to give you the world,
You do so much for me darling,
You're so selfish."
He says

And I tried harder.

"I hate my family,
You're the only one who understands me,
I will never let you help me."
He says

And he never did.

"You never give up on me,
I know I'm really ******* you,
How could you just stop trying."
He says

But I never did stop.

"Please don't ever leave me,
I couldn't do life without you,
Just leave."
He says.

And so I did.

"I made a huge mistake,
I need you in my life,
If you love me, come back."
He says

And so I walked away.

darling,
       you're beautiful.
                      but not in the way most
                             people see
                      in the way your eyes blend
                             from brown to green
                and the way your freckles scatter
                             along your face
             and how more beautiful can you be
                      when your eyes light up
                                your smile appears
                                        & laughter springs
                                            out of your chest
                                   what a beauty you are
                             special, like the stars