Toughen Up
Location
I came to you when things were bad.
the jokes, the names,
Retard. Fag. Pussy.
I came to you. My mentor, my leader.
But you walked away.
I just needed to toughen up.
I stopped coming to school.
But they kept on, texts
And tweets and typing,
Worthless. Kill yourself.
Flying in my face, day after day.
Just toughen up.
I cracked.
All you had to do was
Something,
Anything,
But instead—
Nothing.
I think.
Maybe you’ve been here
Before.
Wedgies, clothes stolen
From the locker room
Back in the day
I scream.
Why can’t you
Toughen up
For me?
Don’t tell me
“toughen up”
When you’re the same
Scared,
Puny kid
from back in the day
Only this time
With a college degree.