there will be many times
you will wonder
what the hell
you saw in them
we all sometimes
accidentally look up
and stare into the sun
for a moment too long
if at any point
they EVER
put hands on you
get yourself the hell
out and away
and do not look back
- it will never be worth it
if they belittle you
they are the ones
with confidence issues
the ones
that laugh the most
are the ones
that usually
need the most love
check in
on them
when you left
you gave me
the gift
of finally
understanding
what it meant
to stand up
for myself
gc cohen currently lives in Massachusetts and dreams of homesteading with her wife and son. her work has been published in The White Squirrel, Sidelines, and War, Literature, and the Arts. her debut poetry collection, family matters, will be published in January 2019.