My house knows secrets
Of my family
Because it has witnessed
The things we hide behind
Our perfect image
And fake smiles.
It has witnessed the life
And inevitable death
Of our beloved pets
As my father cried
When they were taken away
It has witnessed the screams
Coming from my parents’ room
Late at night
When they thought
That we were asleep.
It has witnessed long nights
When my parents fought,
Us comforting each other
And losing sleep.
It has witnessed the cries
In my darkest times
As I was growing up
And feeling dead inside.
It has witnessed growth
From infancy to adulthood
As we quickly learned
How to survive
In this harsh world.
My house knows secrets
Hidden from the world
But that’s what makes it
My home.