thirteen years old
backpack heavy
palms sweaty
gripping the key tightly as i try to unlock the door
before anyone sees
a young girl alone on the street
nineteen years old
heels in hand
palms sweaty
gripping the key tightly between my knuckles
ready to lunge at the itchy hands that try to grab me
as i walk through dark alleys back to the dorm
twenty-seven years old
heart pounding
palms sweaty
gripping the key tightly as i sneak out of the apartment before
dawn
before he wakes up and
sheds more bruises on me that no one else will see
fourty years old
voice shaky
palms sweaty
gripping the key tightly as i pass my daughter her first house
key
and i hope that she won't need to shift it between her
fingers as she walks home
or rush to lock her doors
and i hope it won't leave her palms sweaty with the fears of
everything i have seen
