The Roadside Reader
Location
You might walk by her
The one you shall not remember, or try to forget
The ordinary girl with her nose in a book
And her mind in an imaginary world, a better place
She reads by the light of the stars
Up above so high, beyond her reach
Glaring down in wasted pity
For she does not wish for fame
She does not wish for money
She doesn't even care for a passing glance
She has herself, and she has her stories
Surrounded by more characters than she can count
Those are her true friends, who keep her warm at night
The ones she found discarded, like her
They are the ones who understand her, who will be there
And she could not wish for anything more
You may politely ask what she is reading
And without a reply, she holds up the cover for all to see
It might seem rude, but it's all she knows
For she knows that no person wants conversation
They only want to get rid of the guilt
And make themselves feel better by paying attention to the poor girl
But what they don't realize
As they walk away in anger, dropping change in their wake
That she has what she needs
Stacks on stacks of books, creating a treasured shelter
Until the rain begins to fall
Seeping through the cracks and blurring the page before her
The words run together
But she has no fear, she knows how the story ends
And as you walk away you don't see
The smile frozen on her face