I was born in the early evening
at a VA hospital that doesn't exist any more.
My birth certificate has an amendment 
because the nurse spelled my name wrong.

When I was 6 weeks old
I had a seizure.
My mother used to say
"that is why you are the way you are"
she also used to say that
her children gave her ulcers.

I was expelled in kindergarten
for not cutting a little girl's hair.
This was after i wet the bed
and my mother was reported to
child protective services.

By the age of six I had 3 therapists
and left school early 3 times a week
to go to group counseling
with a Tim who wanted to kill his parents
and burn the curtains.
and nicer kids
like Peter Aderholt
and Amber Raines
and her brother Eric 
and that dumb girl who
ratted us out for ditching therapy
we were only nine years old
and walked 4 miles in
only three hours
the perfect crime
that ended with CPS coming for my dad.
I was pissed.
I know what you are looking for
my forehead wrinkles are not saying
I'm lying
they are saying "I AM ANGRY".
you have the wrong parent.

my sixth grade teacher outed me to the class
I was wondering why everyone was
being so overly nice to me
when the day before they all hated me
that same teacher banned only me
from her end of the year pool party
at her house of all places.

I haven't a clue how i survived
other than my conviction
that i am worth every bit of me
and I am better than all these people
i just have to make it to adulthood.