I thought I was sinking,
I dreamt in depths of dark blue,
rudely awoken night upon night
gasping for air.

When I opened my eyes,
I wasn't sinking,
instead I was washing up with the waves,
coughing up bitter salt water on my journey back ashore.

My sea legs are becoming steady.

"Sweet sixteen and never been kissed"
but I've been kissed
Hell, I've been *******
and ******* over
It took me less than sixteen years
to realize that all people know how to do
is walk all over you
Like a sidewalk on a city street
with all the cracks that people told you
would break your mother's back

Sixteen isn't so sweet

all you could give me
was a half-hearted,
"I'm sorry"
but it still meant more
than all the times you brushed me off
like the ashes of cigarettes
you litter all over the street
I was waiting
for you to tell me you still loved me,
but that hope burnt out
with the lighter you threw away
last week