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From the author: This poem bleeds the feelings of what it's like to be in an abusive relationship. It's important to know how to recognize one and try your best to seek help, even if it is not always evident.

Tired.

I’m tired of it all.

Tired of the laughing, screaming, crying.

Knowing that even if I’m happy now,

I’d rather stop trying.

Tired of the words,

Those words that haunt me in my sleep.

The words that slowly consume me,

The soft whispers that make me weep.

Silly girl, they’d mock,

Stupid child, they’d sneer.

And I’d smile, like the fool I am,

My feelings ever more unclear.

Mouths that smiled at me would soon ridiculed me,

Hands that once caressed will pummel my fragile skin.

Eyes that showed all the tenderness in the world now glared,

And I remained silent, smiling.

My heart bared.

You know I’m doing this because I love you, they’d scream,

You made me act like this, they’d cry.

And I’d whisper the same words: sorry, sorry, sorry,

Calling me out on the things I do not recall.

Tired of being called a fake, a lie.