blow the fucking house down
brick by brick
with every harsh word
or raised hand
that’s how I built it up
concrete and reinforcing steel
with unkind comments and condescending names
that’s how I built it up
your compliments, your attentiveness
it chisels away at the mortar and brick
the way your eyes look at me, the way your hand seeks mine to hold
it jackhammers the foundation
you saying I am beautiful, that you don’t understand how someone hasn’t snatched me up before
makes the foundation crumble
careful, so careful
don’t let the foundation crumble
don’t let the walls collapse
run, gather supplies
shore up the walls, fortify your defenses
no one can be allowed in
once they are inside the walls can come down too quickly
leaving you exposed to the elements of love
little pig, little pig
let me in
fuck you, I said to the big, bad wolf