Birth.

I cried.

I cried before I ever spoke,

I cried before I ever saw,

I cried before I ever thought,

I cried because that is what I was told.

I spoke.

I spoke of dada and mama,

I spoke of toys and my favorite colors,

I spoke of equations and weird chemical diagrams,

I spoke because that shows you who I am.

I saw.

I saw hospital lights in my mother’s eyes,

I saw birds and aero planes share the same sky,

I saw the day that I had to tell my brother goodbye,

I saw because it was better than being blind.

I thought.

I thought of the thrill of being tossed in the sky,

I thought of the many cars that I would own at thirty-five,

I thought of the many ways that I could take my own life,

I thought because that was what felt right.