I never asked to be made tough

to be deconstructed down to my frame and then

left exposed.

I didn’t ask to be made sharp and cold

in the surgical dissection of my mind which you

flayed and laid out

I didn’t want to learn how to withstand

the violence of your face in my mine and my

ears ringing

I didn’t know how to sever heart from all

To learn not to speak or sleep or cry (even if you must)

(even at night)

All these lessons I did learn as teacher’s pet.

And you teacher with the sledge and scalpel

any lesson you ever learned

I never knew

because of the two of us forever I will be

the one who got away.