Home Back Then

I grew up being forced to learn,
forced to grow out of things early
because I was too 'big' for my age

I was one of the kids that grew up fast
and were forced to learn about the world faster than most
to be mature was to be loved,
because who would love a childish person

My father hit me when I made a mistake,
and I had earned bruises and scars,
he hit me, telling me no one would love a girl
bruised and used,
because who would love a girl who was scarred and broken

He had bruised me and blamed me for the bruises he had created
Home back then was a happy house
Home back then always had a mad man
Home back then was filled with adults who were children
and children who were adults

Home back then wasn't safe
Home back then wasn't good
Home back then wasn't what I wanted

But home back then was all I had