Inez Folklore

It hurts.

Their cruel words digging deep into my soul, planting their roots and taking over.

It hurts.

Hearing them all gossip about me, calling me names I never asked for.

It hurts.

Tik Tik Tik Tik:

never stopping angry quiet 

Tok Tok Tok Tok:

ink on paper nonsense words

Tik Tik Tik Tik:

lips are moving saying nothing

We lie in bed  with our arms around ourselves, 

cradling the mangled bodies of children

 who had the stars squeezed out of their eyes so that, still shining, they fell 

I am… different.

I have chronic pain.

Any time I leave the house,

I use a crutch, a walker, wheelchair, or cane.

People think this is funny.

I get bullied a lot.

note: partially inspired by Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese" 

        and  for my mom 

i want you to sit and stare at the glistening horizon. 

Three years ago,
You said forever. 
And I repeated it, 
It left a sweet taste in my mouth. 
Like sugar poured onto a lemon, 
Covering up the sour bitterness.