# How Many?

Author: ShingetsuMoon
Tags: Poem, Poetry, Self Harm, bullying

#5 of National Poetry Writing Month

Another poem for National Poetry Month. This one is about bulling.

* * *

Have you ever been told something  
that you knew wasn't true? Had the  
words spat at you with hatred and  
violence?

You're ugly.  
Fat.  
Worthless.  
No one likes you.  
You'll never have any friends.  
No one would miss you.  
You don't belong here.

How many times have we told  
ourselves it wasn't true? Told  
ourselves that they were lying.  
Jealous. Angry. Bored. Mean.  
Anything other then telling  
the truth about us.

We pretend to ignore their  
comments and tell ourselves  
it doesn't bother us. Doesn't get  
to us. Doesn't affect us. We're better  
then that. They don't know us.  
Don't let the bullies win.

How many times do we tell ourselves  
that with tears in our eyes?

How many times do we choke out  
those words while a razor is pressed  
up against our veins?

How many times do we pretend they  
don't matter while numbing the pain  
with a bottle to our lips?

Their words beat down on us for  
so long that we finally accept them  
as fact. We don't dispute their words  
or try to argue otherwise.

We accept the pain they  
have caused despite the  
words of our loved ones  
telling us otherwise.

We drive ourselves to insanity  
with their lies. Still living in  
the past while they move on  
without us.

We tell ourselves not to listen  
instead of doing something about  
it. We tell others it isn't true while  
leaving them to sit in anguish.

Kids will be kids.  
It's nothing serious.  
You know it's not true.  
Ignore them and they'll go away.  
It's only words.  
Just deal with it.

How many have to hang themselves  
before we realize that "deal with it"  
just isn't good enough?

How many will try to carve the  
pain out of their arms before we  
accept their feelings as real?

How many have to die before  
we realize that we aren't doing enough?

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/k1VBWq01
Part of the series National Poetry Writing Month
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