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No Cheerleaders

This poem is about growing up with no emotional support system.

By Amanda ZylstraPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
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The world is against me.

I fight my way through the crowd.

I make my own path to the finish line.

I have no cheerleaders.

As a child, your parents are supposed to be your biggest fan.

Your biggest support system.

I do not understand this phenomenon.

I have a woman who likes me one moment and hates me the next.

Nothing I ever do is good enough for her.

There are flaws in everything.

I am the parent.

She is the child.

I yell at her to sit with all four legs of the chair on the floor.

I warn her to be careful when opening cans that surely will cut her.

I tell her to always cut away from yourself.

I have no fan club.

I have no support system.

I just am there.

Set to exist and filled with self-doubt.

I have no cheerleaders.

I see neighborhood friends who have parents that love them dearly and support their every move.

I wonder what that feels like?

I have always been an outsider even as a child.

I was raised by children in disguise as adults.

I understood things I should not about mental illness at this age.

About how books and the telephone are more important than in-person interactions.

About how I am alone in this life.

I only have my cat to comfort me through the rough spots.

I have no cheerleaders.

I must become my own support system.

I am the only one who cares for myself.

I am all alone in this world.

I must become my own cheerleader.

*This poem is featured in Peeling Sanity due for release in October 2018. Be sure to check out my other poetry collections on Amazon.

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About the Creator

Amanda Zylstra

Cat Lover, Poetry Writer, Tea Drinker, Skincare and Beauty Product Obsessed. Check out my poetry collection "Passing Skeletons" available on Amazon.

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