HOPES IN ASHES
They laughed at you
like your pain was punchline poetry,
like the cracks in your voice
were something to mock.
But I saw you—
behind the locker door,
behind the silence you wore like armor.
They threw words like knives,
and you caught every single one
with your chest wide open.
But baby, even broken hearts
still beat loud.
I thought of you
when I saw roses burning in the rain—
so soft, so strong,
and still on fire.
That’s you.
You’re not the only one.
Not the only one who hides their hurt
in bathroom stalls
or walks home slower to avoid the noise.
You’re not alone.
I pray you’re okay.
I pray you know
there’s hope blooming in your scars.
And if no one’s told you today—
you matter.
You’re here.
You survived.
And that’s enough.
