Gloria Magruder

Someone watched me when I was younger
Through a window that I was too young to have the good sense to look back out of
Watched as I climbed trees and danced for no one
And never wondered who could see me

Someone wiser caught him, once
But there was nothing anyone could do
Except to shoo me inside, and tell me to stay there
And when I asked, they refused to tell me why

I am old enough now that my eyes have opened
But I can’t see any sunlight
I’ve fallen out of the tree and I am lying, dazed on the ground
When people walk by and see me, I see them back
And I hide myself away

I close the curtains over my window at night
Not because I like the dark 
But because darkness makes the window and the room and the world disappear
When all the lights are off, it is as though there is no house at all

But not being able to see out
Has never meant
No one else can see in