It's been so long since I've been that.

[girlinyourdream]

It's been so long since I've been that,
that little girl swinging higher and higher before jumping off,
the nerd with her face always stuck in a book far beyond her years,
the one everyone called a slut,
always having a boys arm around her,
the one who left before senior year,
the girl so many forgot.

It's been so long since I've been that,
the youngest in my class,
the only freshmen in a certification class,
winning all the answers,
knowing what to say, when, and how.

It's been so long since I've been that,
scared to leave the house without his permission,
scared that dinner would be late,
left alone for the night while he went to work,
just to be woken in the morning to acts I didn't care for.

It's been so long since I've been that,
rounding out more by the passing day,
scared I would not be able to support the act I chose to do,
worried she would not make it,
the one hearing those words many do not "it's a girl",
and "your daughter is healthy".

It's been so long since I've been that,
alone in parentship,
caring for and supporting on my own,
the one that woke every night to those woeful sounds,
pleaing for someone's help,
anyone... someone to talk to.

It's been so long since I've been that,
the little girl,
the young teenager,
the teenager,
the young college student,
the battered woman,
the pregnant woman,
the single mother.

It has not been so long that,
I have loved my daughter,
fought for her tooth and nail,
did everything I could to support her,
missed her every day.