When I Was Young

When I Was Young

When I was young

I laughed without checking the price

I walked streets without counting the steps

no one watched my hands

no one cared if I slept

I ate when I was hungry

not when the system allowed

I spoke and was heard

not filed, not flagged, not drowned

I had shoes with holes

and still ran like hell

because I could

because it didn’t hurt

Now I drag mornings behind me

like old bins down broken roads

I sign forms for nothing

I get numbers for help

and wait in rooms

where nothing moves but time

I was young once

it was messy, yes

but it was mine

Now I survive

I tick boxes

I nod, I wait

I struggle to stay alive

and nobody sees me fade

Take me back to those good old days