The Bricks That Built Me

Eleven bricks for almost dying at nine months old

Thats when I decided I was a fighter.

Six bricks for the broken bones

Thirteen for the broken hearts.

Five hundred-Thirty Two bricks for each time I was molested,

Seventy-Three bricks for each time I cried about it.

Five bricks for the right rib cage that is lazily sloped to my center,

Eight bricks for the left one that takes a sharp crashing curve towards my lungs.

Twelve bricks for the shallow breaths,

Seventeen for the shallow thoughts.

Two bricks for each friend I left,

Fifty-nine for each friend that left me.

Seven more bricks for every day I was alone,

and six for every day I wasn't.

Nine-teen for every unkind word that slipped out of my mouth,

One for every unkind word that slipped into my ears.

Eight bricks for every time I hurt myself

Twenty-one for every day that I didn't.

Two for every boy I kissed,

And one for every boy I wanted to.

One for every city I've been to,

Five for every ocean I swam in,

Nine for the braces, 

and eight for the glasses.

Six for every picture I took,

Sixteen for every picture I drew.

Ten for every time I danced in the rain,

Twenty-three for every time I danced with my dad.

All these bricks and you were my keystone.

1. key·stone

   [ˈkēˌstōn]

   NOUN

   1. a central stone at the summit of an arch, locking the whole together.