you did not listen to me
as a child because
who listens to kids?
my notebooks were
swamped with a child's stories
some odd mash of grown-ups and fairies
and gauche, stumbling sentences.

you did not listen to me
as a teen because
"oh, it's just one of her moods"
so my history papers got
turned in, pencilled words galloping
wildly through the margins, a lot
of thoughts i couldn't properly harness.

you did not listen to me
as a young woman because
there are more ladylike things
for me to do than shout at the world

enough--you cannot ignore my ink on paper

i write

you listen.