My life in sixteen stanzas

At one I couldn’t talk.
There was probably a lot I wanted to say;
So I pretended I talked a different language.

At two I didn’t know anything.
My older sister looked out for me;
I pretended I knew everything.

At three I broke my thumb.
I had a lime green cast that got in my way;
I pretended I was a soldier returning home from war.

At four I started ballet.
I loved it so much;
I pretended like I was dancing in the sky light as air.

At five I started first grade.
I really hated my teachers;
I pretended they were monsters.

At six my classmate died.
I didn’t know him, his name was Daniel;
I pretended to be strong when everyone cried.

At seven my best friend moved.
I never got the chance to say goodbye;
So I pretended she would come back.

At eight I joined the school choir.
No one ever told me I was tone deaf;
I pretended it didn’t hurt when I got made fun of.

At nine I got the starring role in the Nutcracker.
I played both fritz and the nutcracker;
I pretended I was invincible.

At ten I noticed I was different.
My only friend was an oak tree;
I pretended it was a person.

At eleven I quit ballet.
My one and only passion given up;
I pretended I didn’t care.

At twelve I was molested.
I had no one to talk to and no one to tell;
So I pretended it never happened.

At thirteen I dreaded school.
I was harassed and bullied, there was no one to tell;
So I pretended I was somewhere else.

At fourteen I became a freshman.
The school was big and scary, I had no friends;
So I pretended I was a princess locked in her tower surrounded by guards.

At fifteen my dog died.
She was six, it was new year’s eve;
I pretended she was on vacation.

At sixteen my brother touched me.
He is two years younger but was able to overpower me;
I pretended I was dead.