Just Some Things

I ran across these two posts today, and I thought that they were really moving.

Even when I wanted to die, to kill myself
To rip each cell of my being apart, not once,
Not ever, did I miss a piece of homework.

Or fail a test or skip an hour-long lesson.
Sure, I skipped three meals a day but at least
I had my priorities straight.

I see these kids walking in front of me to school.
I see them, and they are zombies.
Blank faces, I doubt they’ve slept,
Probably up all night doing that essay
They forgot to do because their parents
Asked them to spend a few hours with them.

And I know this isn’t right but
I remember overhearing someone rant
About how mental illnesses are so common these
Days; they’ve become the latest fashion accessories
For the young.

It’s popular to be damaged. That makes no sense.
These kids are going insane.

Perhaps if you looked the tiniest
Bit further you’d see that this system is not working.
The clue is that millions of children are being literally
Driven mad by it each day.
But at least they’re averaging Bs
And thank god they cut themselves when they
leave school so the teachers don’t have to deal with it.

________________________________________________________________________________________

They never talk about girls like me.
They don’t tell you about the broken ones.

About the ones who are never completely whole. The ones who flicker in and out, pretend you don’t see them out the corner of your eye.

Because I know how to split my wrists to reveal a battlefield. I know what it feels like to meet the devil and find out it’s you.
To feel forest fires erupting from your wrists.

My arms were war torn fields, and my body the valley where the bodies lied.
I’m a soldier, but you won’t find me in any of your fairytales.

They don’t tell you about the strong ones.
They never talk about girls like me.