Little Girl, I am

Little girl I am. 

Clueless.

Little girl, I am.

Trusting adults who are family...

because family would never hurt you.

Little girl I am. 

Beautiful. 

Little girl, I am.

Men shouldn’t look at you 

because 

you have nothing to offer... but what if they do? 

Little girl I am. 

Naïve. 

Little girl, I am.

You're too young 

you must’ve mistaken it 

for something else.

Little girl I am. 

Confused. 

Little girl, I am.

How is it just because he’s family it’s okay, confused I am.

Confused because it makes me uncomfortable.

How is it my fault?

Confused on its “our little secret.” 

Little girl I am. Helpless. Little girl I am.

Sharing my confusion with another little girl so I can be clear,

but this little girl- this little girl, has a little secret too. 

Little girl I am. Voiceless. Little girl I am.

Waiting for the day I out grow you.

Plotting my escape from you. 

Little girl I am. Gone. Little girl I am.

Thinking I was free of you, but every time

you came around or we came around...

Little girl I am.

Wondering why I didn’t scream from the roof tops,

why did I only cry in silence, why didn’t i stop it?

Could I have? I was just a little girl.

How could i tell my father what his father has done?

Little girl, I am. Too young to understand.

Too young to realize it was never my fault,

never my place to save feelings.

I had one job.

Be the little girl with head full of dreams,

but instead I got nightmares. 

-writer has asked to remain anonymous

Self portrait by @thflwrgrl.