Don't forget to water the roses

blow out the candles

people gather around me, chanting, celebrating

everyone happy,Except me.

I never was happy on my birthday

people called me spoiled, ungrateful, but never my name.

Yet, here they were all happy smiling

as if their torched candles hadn't burned me to the ground

my self esteem in ashes on the floor

"blow out the candles!" they'd say.

I blew on the meaningless flames as the room turned dark.

I had never felt so alone.

presents were always a crowd favorite

everyone surrounding me trying to see what the other person got

I sometimes thought it was more for them than me.

gifts always substituting the daily "I love you"

handing it to me as an artificial apology

as if the play set with matching tea pots will make me better

I don't think that helped.

but I smiled nonetheless because it didn't matter

I would always be the ungrateful girl

who doesn't like her birthday.