To the Boy You Once Were

Sumayah

You despise him for

his actions, his shadows, his lies,

the marks he hid beneath the guise

of bandages torn from shallow cries,

for his heart that bled

until it finally fled.

You despise him for

tainting your brightest skies,

the bitter pills you swallowed

to drown out his lullabies.

Silent echoes drag you back,

to nights painted in black.

He despises himself.

A withered leaf pressed in

the pages of a forgotten tome.

He dug his own grave;

he was never yours to save.

He despises himself`

for echoing the words

of someone else’s pain.

From a sinking wreck he crawled ashore,

his fire extinguished in the rain;

had it burned, he might remain.

But it’s me who I despise the most.

I left you stranded, a spectre on the coast,

alone, fractured, lost in frost,

your childhood, the deepest cost.

I'd cradle your tears as they fall,

catching each one like shards of a wall.

Published in Issue No. 5, Aeternum Scriptor, February 1st, 2025.

Sumayah is a high school student who loves psychology and enjoys exploring how emotions and relationships shape our experiences. She writes about self-reflection, growth, and the complexities of human behavior. Outside of writing, she’s always curious about how the mind works and loves learning new things about psychology. Through her writing, Sumayah hopes to inspire others to reflect on their own emotional journeys.