I believed once,
in fairy tales and kings,
of lands far away,
I knew these things.
and, as all tales go,
time ebbs and it flows,
and my belief aged and cracked,
until seeing became believing
never the other way around,
and fantasy was a wasted dream.

I believed once,
in family, and teams,
and forging bonds that formed
without ever needing a seam.
Until a fist, and some words,
replaced the color of my rose colored scene,
with red, black and blue,
and I learned quickly,
what silence truly means.

I believed once,
in lovers and friends,
in knowing the difference,
yet, as all things gold,
I learned hues easily fade
when placed upon the backs
of those whose purpose
was to make me jade.

I believed once,
in purpose and meaning,
and changing the world,
by doing more than existing,
until ugliness and bitterness
spewed violently in jealous rages
and helping became a passing phase.

I believed once,
in mentors and sages,
and a god I thought benevolent,
until his people, my people,
turned violent and hateful,
and a book simply became pages.

I believed once,
in textbooks and schools,
until fact became fiction,
and all I truly learned
was to do what I was told.

I believed once,
that there was something more,
until I was met with a laughing face,
and a slamming of the door.

I believed once,
that death was my gift,
and ticked off the days until I was given it.

I believed once,
that all of this was true.

I believed…once…