remembering…I am twelve years old

my body changed

nobody is telling me how to care for myself

my mother doesn’t talk to me about personal matters

hygiene seems to be a tabu subject

I am so confused

why don’t I look like everyone else

I’m always so embarrassed!

it’s so hard for me to say this, even sixty later

my body, my hair and clothes are all dirty

I smell!

teachers never did anything to help me

today’s teachers are mandated to notice

even as I write about this now, I feel agitated and alone

the disgrace is always with me

it’s hard to shed a trauma