Silence, hope, it’s what I have
I’m waiting
Waiting for you to notice
Not the bruise upon my face
Or the way I feel dirty
Not the way I can’t look at you
Not the way I hate myself
I’m not waiting for food
I feel so sick
I’m not waiting for you to welcome me home
From my weekend in my prison
I wonder if you thought of me
If that morning you remembered
I wonder if you smiled for me
I woke that morning
But not alone
The broken dolls laid next to me
Dirty and torn just as I was
Waiting for the day to start
Waiting for it to hurt
The things we didn’t understand
I thought about you
I wondered if you remembered
If you’d come and get me
I didn’t even cry that day
I wondered if anyone knew
I waited
Did you go out and celebrate?
Did you think of me?
Did you laugh and smile with your family?
Or did you curse that day?
Now I’m 8.
Did you remember?
It was my birthday.