the words of a circu$freak

they don’t live under my bed,
or in my closet.
i didn’t just imagine
the shouting in the living room,
anger climbing up the stairs.
the tension
crawling through, under my door.
i close my eyes
but i still see them.
tattooed on the inside of my eyelids;
screaming in my ear.
they won’t let me sleep.
i try not to listen;
cover my ears and crawl under the sheets;
but i can’t fool myself.
these monsters,
they’re real.