My Old Red House

Location

I come from that old red house

on top of a mountain

The  red rooster’s alarm clock

and the flowers slowly sprouting
 

Where the fog settles peaceful

between each valley’s dip

while in that old red house

drunk and hateful they’d sit


I come from “their out of their mind”

that therapists tried to fix

the attempts to hold hands

but unable because of fists

 

From all the long nights

and constellation prayers

the worries for my life

and always being scared

 

I come from hiding the bruises

mask it with a smile

No one needed to know

I was always in denial

 

“I fell down the stairs”

“I got tangled in barbed wire”
That’s what I come from

being that professional liar

 

Running was the norm

a day to day basis

No house and no home

just a pillow and a blanket

 

Where life was always in question

and eyes grew in the back of my head

I come from those days

I was scared of being dead

 

Refusal for help

this struggle was my own

I did for myself

I didn’t need anyone

 

I come from that self hope,

those dreams, those wishes

That try, try again

and “fake it till you make it”

 

The struggle of a day

a minute

a second

 

That is where I come from

but miraculously, I’ve made it.

Guide that inspired this poem: 

Comments

LindseyLandell

I had to write a poem in my senior English class about "Where I'm From". As much as I wanted to hide from my past, even after moving to a new state away from all the hurt, I still felt I needed to face the issue I've been holding back my entire life. This was the biggest step I've taken and its these moments that are life changing. I wrote this poem about my life through childhood up until now and I am happy to end the poem with my dreams coming true. I hope that this poem could bring awareness to abuse, addictions, and forgiveness--God knows my family has struggled with it. No matter what happened to me, I always kept a smile on to make others happy, its what I strive for. There are so many children who are scared, sick, starving, and lonely like I was and I want nothing more than to help every single one of them. I hope that this will make even the smallest impact...because every small breath taken is a step to bringing life to the subject. Abuse and addiction is a serious problem in this country, I think now is the time to fix it.

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