I always wondered
why my sister was so angry
growing up.

All those horrible
tantrums,
smashed pictures,
and terrible words
screamed at the top
of her lungs
add up, you know.

And while the parents cringed
and tried to
calm her down,

I hid
in my room
and turned
my heart to
the off
position.

It wasn't until
much later
that she told me
what it was

and even then
it took years
to get my mind
around the truth,

because for so long
the story was
that she was just
high strung,
and emotional,
and insecure,
and jealous.

These stories
have a way
of taking on
a life of their own

as the myths of family life
become their own truths

especially when whatever lies beyond
is far too
wrong
for the voices
of mere children
to utter
straight out.