When the shadows aren’t safe,
and you can’t erase
the bruises that are left,

When an unexpected touch
is like a bullet to the chest,

When the only safe times
are walking to and home from
school,

When you don’t know why
you shouldn’t die,
and there were multiple times
you really tried
as tears fell from your eyes
and congestion
left you gasping,

When even now forty years hence
the memories are inconvenient,
cause even though life is good
and you are grateful,
sometimes the terrors and pains
come back again.