1 The Voices (2020)

The Little China Doll

Once there was a little china doll

She didn't have a single scratch or scape at all

Her skin was as soft and smooth as could be

White as snow and shiny as the sea

She was happy and gentle and kind

She had not a single trouble on her mind

But as the years passed by

Trouble was on the rise

The china doll went through some wear and tear

Until she had cracked skin and brittle hair

The world chipped her away slowly but surely

The cracks were large, dark and ugly

It felt like Father Time wanted her killed

But in time, she figured out how to be filled

Perhaps it was silly and cliché

But kindness and love helped her find her way

The wisdom of the world began to seep into her body

It filled most of the cracks, even though she was still a bit shoddy

But it was not as bad as it used to be

Instead she was filled with warmth and empathy

An emptiness she hadn't even noticed became full

And the hurt she felt was becoming dull

Hurt she didn't even know she had was starting to heal

And her now patchwork skin made her feel real

Beauty was on the inside as well as the outside

And every healed scar was a mark of pride

Her cracks were being filled with life

Her body was now made of joy and strife

It told her life story and all her deeds

Whether good bad, they were there for her to see

There were times when she missed what she used to have

But this new fullness ensured she'd never try to go back to the past

She would not trade this newfound wisdom for anything at all

And that's the story of the little china doll

AN: Random poem based loosely off my life. My childhood was very nice and sheltered and it was only in my late teens that I got a taste of the real world. It was long overdue, but at the time, I hated it. In hindsight, though, I've come to see how even the bad moments managed to turn good.

I'm not saying that the suffering was good or enjoyable, and I'm not saying suffering is necessary to build character, but that's what happened to me.

So for anyone out there, it DOES get better, even if you don't realize it until much later. But if you need a companion during your hard times, I'd be happy to help.