I WANT TO SHAKE YOU
AND YELL IN YOUR FACE:
YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH PROBLEMS,
YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE HURTING IN THIS WORLD,
SO WHY ARE YOU THROWING THE WEIGHT
OF YOUR HURT ONTO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU
AND DISREGARDING THEIR SUFFERING?
DOES IT HELP?
DO YOU FEEL BETTER?

BUT YOUR TEARS WOULD MAKE ME FEEL GUILTY
GUILTY FOR MY SELF PRESERVATION
FOR THE FACT THAT I TRIED TO PUT MYSELF FIRST FOR ONCE
I IMAGINE I’D WHISPER:
I’M SORRY.
LIGHTING MYSELF ON FIRE TO AVOID BURNING YOU,
TO AVOID THE CONFLICT OF WAKING YOU UP TO YOUR  ACTIONS
AND THE IMPACT THEY HAVE HAD.
ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?

SO I’LL BITE MY TONGUE AGAINST THIS BRUTALITY
SMILE
AND ALLOW YOU TO WALK ALL OVER ME
BECAUSE IT’S POINTLESS TO TRY TO HURT SOMEONE
WHO IS ALREADY HURTING SO DEEPLY
THAT THEY CAN’T SEE
THE WOUNDS THEY ARE LEAVING IN THE ONES THEY LOVE
AND BESIDES,
I’M NOT THAT PERSON ANYWAY.