To the men who talk down to me As though I am helpless Because the parts of my body. You do not know the meaning of helpless Until you are being stared straight in the face by fear Like looking down the barrel of a gun It's hands strapped around your breathless throat Point blank range Eyes closed. You wait for it to fire You know it's coming Words, usually starting with "We need to talk" Or "You better sit down." You know it can't be good As tears fill her once shining eyes And those stars fall into the ocean. Then you learn very quickly Almost by instinct That everyone you love must die. Helpless is when comforting your mother Makes you a seamstress. Stitching her together while you yourself are composed of False hope Fading memories Fear. Helplessness is when behind this gun is the face of a man A man you prayed you could trust But he violates you Colors your view of the opposite *** From the time you are seven years old He ties the noose that you continually hang yourself with In the years to come. Helplessness is when you tell yourself you have moved on but No matter how much therapy they inject into your veins No matter how many drugs they try to numb you out with Influence spreads like a virus Into every area of your life But since you have become so distantly removed So adamantly avoidant of this looming secret Like smoke rising to the ceiling You notice something lower itself Whenever you have to face this head on again: Fear. See it is a cycle Helplessness is a cycle And it always ends in fear *How can I remove myself from this circle?