If I Tell You the Truth Quotes

“thank god for friends that were family”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“family are the ones
who are there when you need them”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“this isn't a poem.

instead it's an obituary
for the girl i used to be

the girl who belonged to
everyone but herself

the girl who swallowed
her heart and bit her tongue

the girl who would have
never dared to run.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“Thank you for the courage that your words gave me today.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“this body feels like a cage
and i've lived in it all these years
but it's still an unwelcome stranger.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“i gathered all my
fears into a shield
& tried too hard
to protect you

i didn't know how
to apologize
for loving you

from the place
where i was
broken”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“everything i felt:

two teaspoons of hope
three tablespoons of fear
six dashes of sadness
and a monsoon of

alone

whatever this was
i hoped she was the antidote.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“because even if i run out of words
even if i lose my train of thought
even if i tell you the truth only to lose my breath
i am surrounded by women
who will pick up where i left off.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“I met a world that tried to steal me from myself.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“Oh, Mother," Mom begins to translate the text at the bottom, "I met a world that tried to steal me from myself. My body, a glass pot in their hands..."
"Thrown away, smashed against the tiles when they were done..." Maasi continues.
"But I held my own hand and held yours. I made it to my wedding day..." Bibi Jee nods her head.
"And here I am, oh Mother," I finish the sentence. "Here I am marrying myself.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“i didn't open the door for him
he just jumped the wall and entered.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“Happy? The happiest days of my life usually involve you being right here next to me.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“I want you to be happy."
He shakes his head, laughing to himself. "Happy? The happies days of my life usually involve you being right here next to me.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“I want you to be happy.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“Just know that I'm not going anywhere.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“You know you don't have to learn to love yourself on your own, right? You can lean on others.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“I know that something beautiful can grow between us. I can see it. I can feel it humming under my skin.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“home.
that is messy
and honest
and tumultuous
and forever.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“You're allowed to be a teenager. You're allowed to do normal shit and be confused about boys and make a mess in the process.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“You might not have it all figured out right now, but slowly things will be clearer.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“His touch was a sea of wildflowers blooming on the ice field of my skin.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“We just came to each other as ourselves -our realest selves- and we fit.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“is it love if it makes you feel something
just when you thought you'd always be numb?”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“And every inch of skin where his hands land becomes electric. Becomes a dizzying, gorgeous confusion of both him and me connected and inseparable and alive. And nothing exists but this beautiful boy who has always been close and far.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“This world is too heavy, can I put it down somewhere?”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“i would do anything
to reverse time
so that she would
never know suffering
like this”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“there is a kind of pain that exists
when your loved one carries a hurt
too heavy for either of you to bear

when your hards don't know
how to mend their wounds
and your rage has nowhere to go

i would do anything
to reverse time
so that she would
never know suffering
like this

even if it meant
i was never born.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“I just want to prove -to her and to myself- that this world can do more than hurt us.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“Your story would make the mighty crumble. It would strike fear in their bloodless hearts.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing

“I know enough to know that you deserve freedom. You deserve safety and comfort and every listening ear in this world.”
― Jasmin Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth: A Heartrending YA Novel in Poetry Verse - A Story of Trauma, Courage, and Healing