The way he looked at his calm hands
you wouldn't know that he grew up dirt poor
living a life where he had to choose
choose between food and clothes, choose between love and honor
You wouldn't know that he experienced a childhood
where he thought it was okay to see his father hurt his mother
How could you have known by the way he smiled assuringly
that he would take on after his father
that a simple mistake
would send him screaming
The way she laughed
you wouldn't know that she cried herself to sleep every night
waiting for a day where she could finally have a choice
where her voice could finally be heard
over all the screaming
you wouldn't have known that her favorite color was purple
or that she feared for the safety of her mother
that a simple raise of the voice
would send her heart dropping
How could you have known?