It needs a laxative
to push gently through
this tightened-up ***
you’re not bullet-proof
you’ve swallowed more
than you could chew

the hurt in you has hardened
your child’s lost in an empty garden
of promises never kept
of dreams swept up along with the dirt
of hurt so bad your mouth was stitched
to prevent you from speaking out

you never talked
and if you did
they’d slap you so hard
the blood would come out
of your nose

you learned fast
how to hold back