‘It will be alright’
she hangs onto the white lie disguised as hope
dangling from the ledge that separates her from reality
they told her to read a book
but we know she doesn’t read nonfiction

‘Don’t give up--don’t give in’
she comes to school every day stained with makeup
painting her eyelids black to hide the swollen crimson
they told her to be a good girl
but we know at home she’s treated as a monster

‘Just hang on a bit longer’
her knuckles glow hot white as she grips the wall
burning out before she can save herself from falling down
they told her to keep smiling
but we know that she’s only wearing a mask

‘You’re too young to be sad’
she arches her head towards the blurred gray sky
wishing to drown in her tears that are invisible to the eye
they told her to try harder
but we know she had tried hard enough

‘Think about how sad they’ll be’
her mind is a messy tangle of calico ribbons knots
tearing slowly, unnoticed like the sinews in her heart
they told her to believe
but we know that she’ll no longer have a future

‘Don’t be weak’
she screams until her voice fades like ink on paper
echoing endlessly through the galaxies, yet no one hears her
they told her not to die
but we never got to know her