Listener

There is a voice inside my head

I do believe her, though I suspect she lies,

She is cruel, but the things she said

Held incredible weight.

I believed her when she said not to share

• When she said they hated me
• When she said that they wouldn’t care
• When she said not to go

I was a captive listener,

She was me, so who was I to disagree?

Her – my? – words were accompanied by an unbearable,

indescribable ache.

I would do anything to avoid that pain

• so I did nothing.

I grew older, wiser, had more responsibilities -

No longer could I let myself be my own worst enemy.

I took a leap, threw myself

into the depths

• of situations I would have never gone before.

I try not to believe her, because I know she lies,

But she’s still there.

It isn’t always easy, but

With ears plugged, I carry on

• she’s quieter now.