The Titles We Were Given

They say

the innocent child

goes through nothing.

But in my life

the innocent child

had front‑row seats.

I watched my sisters grow up

learning how terrible the world can be.

I learned their lessons

before I knew what the words meant.

“The world is terrible.”

“There’s nothing good here.”

Those were quotes

I memorized

before I understood them.

They say the youngest is innocent.

But we see everything.

We hear everything.

We inherit everything.

My siblings didn’t have a good life.

So now they try to build me a better one.

But I am painted

with the same colors they were.

I carry emotions

that were never originally mine.

Tell me

how am I the most innocent

when I don’t even know

if I’m walking my path

or theirs?