Hidden Ears

You spoke to me
once
The crevice you invested me in
You're too young
You're not ready
"Don't listen to that"
you said, more to yourself than to me
But I heard you.
 
Those blows
to your heart
I felt them with you
Word after word
When those voices wouldn't stop
The criticism cried
You know what's best for you.
 
You lost
everyone
How you even
survived that
I don't know
 
But I heard them talk about you
I heard them call you
names
bad names
horrid names
names that made me want to cry
with you
 
But I was "your safety"
you said
more to yourself than to me
but I heard you.
 
"Baby"
you'd say
"My baby"
you'd say
"My little girl"
and you'd cry
 
Chastising whispers
leaked through the cracks in the wall
to your room where you slept
and I laid awake
It's too late now.
She could have been something more.
She was so smart.
She doesn't know what she's done to herself.
 
I guess
having me
took away your intelligence
because to them
you were nothing now
 
"You'll be smarter than me"
you said, more
to yourself
than to me
 
But I heard you
But I listened
And I can't see now
Can't hear those blistering words you endured
Can't see anyone believe you were wrong about me now
Wrong about you
 
How could you be wrong?
 
How could I ever be smarter than you?

 

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