I miss the days

before summer turned cold

before autumn leaves

fell in blood-red and gold.

I miss the days

before cold hard apathy

when we pretended we

were a perfect family.

I miss the days

before Father got mad

and Mother got quiet

and Sister got sad.

I miss the days

when pills were just medicine

before closets held secrets

and voices screamed, "LET US IN!"

I miss the days

when the house equaled home,

before writing lonely

goodbyes in a poem.