i used to admire
the innocence of a child
how everything in their world was so
carefree

until i met a 5 year old boy
who asked if i could be his new mommy
because his old one wasn't around anymore

until i met a 10 year old girl
who had the same red slashes on her wrist
as i do now

until i met a 12 year old boy
who could tell me more about a broken family
than any child should ever be able to

until i met a 15 year old girl
who lived in the mirror
and wanted so badly to change everything she saw

i used to admire the innocence of a child
i always thought their worlds were so
carefree
but then i realised
that even children
are just as ****** as the rest of us

s.s