8:15am

Questions set before me

“In the past few weeks, have you wished you were dead?”

Rolls off my tongue but litters my head

Anxiously awaiting an answer

 

“Yes.”

Breathe

Move on

 

We’ve all asked ourselves this one

“Have you wished you were never born?”

With only few years lived

They still said

“Yes.”

 

The questions don’t get easier

“Have you ever tried to kill yourself?”

The answer that follows

Comes first from their eyes, young but hollow

And next from their shaking voice

“Yes.”

 

The air leaves my chest

No one should feel this alone

Especially not at twelve years old

 

But I continue

“Has anyone ever asked you about suicide before?”

I need no answer this time

Because no one ever does

We assume the kids are alright

8:19 am

SWD 04/2019

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This was inspired by, but not based on anyone specific, the time I was apart of a suicide screening research project. I would ask participants questions about depression and suicide for a short period of time but it seemed like hours sitting in those quiet rooms. There were times that I would be the first person to ever ask these kids about thoughts they’ve been having.