she mistakes me
for another
curses
yells
as if i need to obey her
tells me what to do
how to feel
who to be
when she isn’t aware
of who i am

i don’t understand it

we seemed to be friends
or at least friendly
until
she decided
i was someone else

she mistakes
my depression
for a common cold
my life of sorrow
for common complaint
she talks to me
as if
she has walked a mile
in my shoes
without
having ever been
in my presence

i will not be
talked down to
cursed upon
treated as less
because of
the broken inside

i may not
value myself highly
but
i value myself
more than that