An ode to innocence

Photo by Joanes Sidharta on Unsplash

How tired you must have been, my dear,
of trying to comprehend,
understand,
filter,
all these people, places, emotions,
reality.

How naïve you've been,
searching for truth
and loyalty,
behind every lie,
that people throw
right at your face
with a smile.
Oh, how easy life would be
if only
people meant what they said
and said what they meant.

And so it is, darling,
You will never anticipate
their knives on your back.
You will never recognize
the devil behind clean words.
You will never learn your lesson, child.

But I have to survive.

This world,
this cruel, ruthless world,
there’s no place for you here, dearest.

Go hide,
hide behind the walls
I've built around my heart.
I will not kill you,
but
I can’t set you free
either.
You will remain
a prisoner at heart
forever.