dissociative. identity. disorder. (a poem)

how many times
do i have to proclaim
the name of
    this face
    this body
matches not
    the one within.

childhood
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma.

the brain
    coped
in the way
    it could.

the personality
    is
        not
            broken,
for you
    cannot
    break
        what has
            not
                yet
                    formed.

a child
    at four
has not
    an identity.

a child
    at six
has not
    an identity.

a child
    under eight
has not
    a stable
    sense
    of self.

insurmountable
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
    trauma
from zero til eight.

no wonder
    the brain
        coped
        this way.

no wonder
    the brain
        now
            dissociates.

no. 4 in i didn’t ask, a poetry collection we decided to post on our blog because it felt right. To learn more about dissociative identity disorder, which forms as the result of repeated trauma before a child is eight years old, peruse my DID tag.