Panick!

There it is again. That familiar, sharp intake of breath in which you look around and notice everything isn't as it seems. The quick, panicked gasps that follow the first, and soon you're slipping

Deeper, deeper

Into the black Abyss

You lie awake and wonder why
There's things in life that make you cry
It's not fair
You want to die

And then you remember the reason why

You're still here, after all
Even when they pushed you against that wall
Shouted abuse
Violent words

That's not the first time that you have heard
A practical stranger, yelling in the street
Cursing the way you're so down-beat

“Emo”, an easy word, no?

But it slips our minds;
We don't try
To get to know them
Understand why

There's scars on their wrists,
Black in their heart
We don't even make a start

Instead we judge
You give your best mate a nudge
“Look at that cutter”
You say

As the boy with black hair walks away
You laugh and joke
“He must be gay”

And in the Darling Month of May

He lies awake,
Wondering why
There's things in life that make him cry