happy birthday to me

"twenty years old,
to the dot, to the day.
if you called, truth be told,
i don't know what i'd say.

but it's fine,
'cause i know you won't.

eleven at night,
in another timezone,
and i'm doing alright
if you'd wanted to know.

but it's fine,
'cause i know you don't.

prioritize pity over pride and praise,
fall back in fear from the human you raise.
write down your story, and let it be dubbed:
the unfortunate fate of a daughter unloved."





you know,
somewhere in the back of my head,
i still believed in you enough to think you might call on my birthday.
twenty years ago today you gave birth to me,
but i guess, by now,
you've decided
you're done.