Being Alone Is A Choice

I am from a once-brown-now-dull-shade-of-gray house,
in the middle of a humble town
called Lafayette that
no one seems to know of.
I am from a loud-mouth father
and a mother who never knows
the right words to say;
A sister who can do it right--
but only if she feels like it;
From a group of unique cousins,
who will always be there,
but not likely for you.

I am from a place where
hitting your sister is only okay
when she gets to hit you back, but harder.
From yelling and profanity
that suffocate me,
to silence and loneliness and ignorance
that never seem to go away.
A place called home that accepts you
for all that you are:
We'll call you family the minute you
walk over the threshold into our home.

I am from the depths of
a cluttered room.
My thoughts end up mashed together.
I am from the back of the classroom,
hoping for long-term invisibility.
From suicidal thoughts clotting
the mind of an out-of-place sixth grader...

I am from the warm embrace
of a friend who sees my need.
The laughs shared between us
are inevitable.
I am from a supportive girlfriend,
and understanding friends.

From a shy girl with innocence clouding
her eyes,
to an open young woman
with more experience
than you would believe.
I am from an irreversible past,
where the only thing to do
is move forward.