
Gossip
She makes it
The best that she can
She holds it up
Like cupping water
Keeping her cool
And splashing cold numbness
Up on her face
Like a wall of protection
Around her heart
Wake up
Make up
Take up
A mask
Of
do you love me
can you love me
do you see me
please don’t hurt me
today.
The underbrush is burning up
And screaming
At her ankles
As she dashes through the grass
Their sneers burn like fire
In the underbrush
And their words
Sting
Like whipping branches
Of dark forests
Where grey leaves hide
The tears inside
Her sinking stomach
And tightly shut eyes
Wake up
Make up
Take up
A shield
And a bouquet of
Wistful
Forget-me-nots
And posies and posers
She knows she’s no loser
But why do words bring
Such horrible fears
To such innocent
Ears?
Can she hold her head up
Squint into their eyes
See past all the pride
To see the heart inside
And love their lives despite
Inflicted words that bite
Her nose and ears and eyes
With twisted lies
And laughing eyes
That make her feel she’ll die?
She makes it
The best that she can
She holds it up
Like cupping water
Keeping her cool
And splashing cold numbness
Up on her face.