People will say it isn't real
What you’re dealing with isn’t
That big a deal
You’re just exaggerating
Overreacting
But let me tell you something
Because I've seen it with my own eyes
If you’ve ever been wary
Of everyone you know
All the ones you trust
Because you expect them to get angry make fun of you
Or start making threats
Something’s wrong you can bet
If you’ve had to plan things
In anticipation
Of a tantrum
You fear will be taken out on you something’s wrong
And it isn't you
If you succumb to demands
Because you’re unsure if their threats
Are empty or legit
So you play it on the safe side something’s definitely not right
If you find yourself jumping
At small noises
In anticipation
That they’re the start of a tantrum something’s wrong
And it's not your fault
If you hide things
Especially things that make you happy because you’re so afraid
That they’ll make fun of you
Scold you for liking something they don’t
Or that they’ll defile them and ruin that love you have for them, something’s wrong
If you're silent in the face of mild disagreements
Or thinly-veiled insults
Rather than standing up for yourself
Because you just don’t want
An argument and make things worse something’s wrong.
If that lack of standing up for yourself
Eventually leads to you never offering
Your opinion in any sort of discussion
Out of fear of ridicule
Or being scolded
Because that’s what you’re so used to, something’s wrong.
If you end up spending most of your time in your room
Keeping to yourself
Keeping any trip outside of your room
To an absolute minimum
Because you don’t want to risk
Being out of line
Getting in the way
Setting off a tantrum
Even though
You know that hiding out
Will also cause an issue
And you’re just minimizing
The risk instead of erasing it entirely
Something’s wrong
If you ever habitually glance outside
To keep watch for their car
To return from their work
Errand or trip
And then heading to your room
Or other hiding place
Just to keep out of their way
Hiding any obvious signs that you’ve
Been out and about
In the rest of your living space, something’s wrong. And it's abuse.
Don’t you dare tell me it isn’t real.
