Resilience by Valerie Parente

The signs were pretty clear
when I cried out for help
and you pretended not to hear
when I scratched myself
then wiped blood on the mirror.

Did you really want to be the one
to teach me that life isn’t fair
to teach me that nobody really cares
to teach me that the world owes me nothing
and that I will always have to fight for my fair share.

Today I’m going to vent
but tomorrow I’ll get even,
because I’m done with this abusive environment
and how you broke me in pieces.

So many pieces of me
but you’re the one who broke
you let your ugly run free
through every word that you spoke.
The sharpest pieces of me
I’ll use those shards to slit your throat
and nobody else will have to be
a punchline to your cruel jokes.

– Valerie Parente (11-27-2019)