EVEN IF IM NOT UNDERSTOOD

FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND STRANGERS AROUND ME

ARE DEAF FROM THEIR OWN LIFE

AND SO THEY IGNORE MINE.

SINCE YOUNG I'VE IGNORED MINE,

SAW MYSELF BETWEEN TWO LIFES

IN A HOME WITH EVERY DAY FIGHTS

I WAS ONLY FIVE

BEING ASKED TO CHOOSE SIDES

UNABLE TO DECIDE I WOULD ONLY CRY

 WITH NO ONE TO CONSOLE ME

MOM AND DAD TO BUSY ARGUING

TO BUSY WITH THEIR MARITAL PROBLEMS

TO BUSY BEING VICTIMS

OF NOT BEING HEARD.

 

I GUESS I WAS ONLY A WITNESS NOT A VICTIM.

 

TIME FLIES AND SO DOES MY DAD,

AT AGE NINE

HIS ABSCENCE STRUCK ME HARD

I WOULD ONLY CRY

AT SCHOOL FRIENDS WOULD ASK ME WHY.

 

I CRIED! AND I CRIED!

MOM HEARD ME CRY AT NIGHT

AND TOLD ME TO SHUT UP

NOW A SINGLE MOM WAKING UP FOR WORK

AND AS THE OLDEST OF MY SIBLINGS

THE CHORES WERE LEFT FOR ME TO DO

SWEEP, MOP, AND COOK

BABY BOTTLES, CHANGING DIAPERS, AND GO TO SCHOOL

MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO HELP HER

WITH HER ROLE AS MOM AND DAD TOO.

SHE'S HAD ENOUGH AND IF I COMPLAIN IT WILL ONLY MAKE IT WORST

INSTEAD I WOULD WRITE HER LETTERS

EXPRESSING  HOW MUCH I LOVE HER

NOW IM TWENTY FIVE 

TWO KIDS AND A WIFE

THREE MORE LIFES ON MY SHOULDERS

FEELING PRESSURED AND OVERWHELMED

WITH FUSTRATION,

IS ALWAYS ME! ALWAYS ME!

NO, NO TIME TO SPEAK OF ME

WHEN THEIR IS SO MANY VOICES AHEAD OF ME.

 

WHO KNOWS IF I WILL EVER BE HEARD

DONT REALLY CARE ANYMORE

THE ONE THAT SHOULD'VE 

HEARD ME, DID NOT!

I SOMETIMES HEAR MYSELF CRY AT NIGHT

BUT QUIKLY GOES AWAY

SO FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND STRANGERS AROUND ME

CAN BE HEARD!