The stains won't leave me, Cracked paint against the drywall Of my childhood bedroom. The ****** t-shirt, Dyed a brown-red to hide the stains. Spilled paint from a failed project On the knee of my jeans, Covered with a pretty floral patch. They like how it looks, The new color I had to choose, Only one that would cover the failures. It's so pretty and unique, So nice to look at isn't it? I add patches that others like. I'm not so sure that I like them. At least not as much as they do, The ones who gave me the stains.
Growing up with a lot of issues always felt like I had to patch myself up, make things look intentional. I felt the need to overcompensate, or make the situation digestible or prettier for others to hear about or experience. I neglected my needs to make others more comfortable about my own issues.