Apologies
I. Am. Sorry.
Words you will never say.
I. Am. Sorry
Not enough to stem the pain
I. Am. Sorry
For the way they treated the youth
I. Am. Sorry
for the
Hitting,
Yelling,
Pinching,
Name calling,
Bullying
From an adult to a child
An apology they could never say
An apology you will never give
For that would mean you were wrong
That they were wrong
And elders are never wrong
It isn’t abuse
Its teaching
Its “putting the fear of God into you”
Its whooping you,
Its beating you “before the white man can”
I’m sorry
That the trauma of our ancestors was passed down to you
I’m sorry
That you were not allowed to go to school
I’m sorry
That you feel the need to abuse your child before others can
I’m sorry
That you weren’t taught to show love in a gentler way
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I’m sorry
That you were raised to see children as property
I’m sorry
That you will never know it’s okay to apologize to a child
I’m sorry
That you had to grow up
Hurt,
Afraid,
Scarred,
Beaten,
Raped,
I’m sorry,
That you were forced to believe the color of your skin made you ugly
I’m sorry
That you were taught to worship a man
I’m sorry
That sorry will never be enough to heal you or me
I’m sorry, but
I will not take on your trauma
I’m sorry, but
I will not pass it down to our youth
I’m sorry, but
I will not worship any man
I’m sorry, but
I will not forgive a rapist just because “he is family”
I’m sorry, but
Love isn’t a bandaid that can hide all the wounds you gave me
I’m sorry that
You will never grow enough to say those words
I’m sorry that
You’re not sorry
You’re not the villain
But I have to choose me
© 2026 Naqira Molyneux
