5:30 in the morning is too **** early
Stressed and tired I uncapped my eyeliner pen
I pause and look at my reflection
I may look stressed and tired, but what can’t eyeliner fix.

5:37, and my eyeliner is done
Perfectly flicked up and smooth
It’s somewhat silly, this idea in my head
When in eyeliner nothing can hurt me
I look more calm, less like a frightened child
A student, ready for the day
I smile.

3:30, and I’m done with school
I say my goodbyes and work my way out of the building
I catch a glimpse of my reflection in a glass case
Calm, collected, composed.
I get home and I work
And work
And work
And work.

8:25, I’m finished with school
I breath as I exit out of my history paper
Nine pages of college ramblings, good enough for an A
I breathe and stretch

8:28, I’m splashing cold water on my face
I pop my head up and watch as my facade washes away
And my truth is there, as it always is
A nervous child hiding under now smeared eyeliner.

I walk into the hall slipping on my silver mask.
At this ball I don’t have a name, my face smeared with the others
I watch their lips dancing in conversation
As I feel my heart,
A gentle dagger tucked close

I can see you looking at me
Lips in a soft smile
Face shrouded in gold
Were you waiting for me?
Soon enough we’re dancing
And your royal laugh fills my daisy head
Oh, what do you want from me?

And then you leave
Why did you leave?
You leave me among these flawless faceless people
With the perfect fake dancing faces
        “Oh **** it all, darling”
I mutter as I step into the snow

I can see the people looking at me
These mess of people, faces uncovered
As I search the powder sugar streets
My silver dress sticking out like a dandelion in seafoam
I just want to be home
Or I maybe want to be in your arms
I’ve yet to decide

Before long I spot you again
Standing in the corner, black coat dangling on your golden arm
Were you waiting for me?
You smile and draw a breath letting your cold breath cloud in the air
        'Oh **** it all, darling'
I think as I step closer to you

Your nodding features drew me in
I show my happy painted face
Hide my truth under the silver mask
Your’s a strong gold
All I see is your artistic lips and jaw
You smile and hold my cold hands
Warming them with your breath

My dagger heart falters
The metal slowly melting with the ice of my hands
Oh, why did you have to be so **** charming, darling
You take my arm and spin
The silver and gold of our skirts swimming at our ankles
As you lead me to your home

We’re inside now and you light a fire
It’s dancing arms out wide
I sit by it and look at you
And the room
I want to know
I want to know everything
You slip beside me
Your warm hands tracing over my face
As you pick at the edge of my silver mask
And gently take it off

You look in my eyes
Your gold mask now sitting next to mine
I admire the color of your face
We speak
I laugh
And I realize how I’m falling fast
As fear clings to my chest
You trace my cheek
What are you doing to me
I smile at you and whisper
“Oh **** it all, darling”
As I reach for your face.

If you are a light, then why do you stride in darkness
You fear not burning strong, but your flame is cold
Tell me fire, have you no insight to yourself?
I could dance to the rhythm you create
If it weren't so dull
Yet you think you are a master
You tell the tulips and forget me nots to twirl
But they won’t, for it’s winter
And you won’t play for the snow
I sit, cold and alone
And you insist you are a bonfire
Tell me fire, why do you burn so small
If I don’t respond,
Tell me fire, what do you feel?

If you are so strong, why does cold wind whisper in my ear
You ask me to dance, but my dedications are changing
Tell me fire, what would you do if I skipped with the wind?
I fear you wouldn’t feel as hot as you do now
If you could see past your orange mystique
Yet you think you have me
You are losing your burning hold on me
But you don’t realize what you’ve done
And though your appearance might be warm, you are frightfully cold
I fall away, and you grab at my ankles
And yet, they no longer burn
Tell me fire, where are your passions
If you realize you are going out, what would you do?
Tell me fire, what would you do?

See how the sunlight reflects?
Casting dancing shapes and shadows
Contemplate while they dance and breathe, for they are free
Chuckling at the breeze

See the statue in her frozen beauty?
Her face trapped in a pained smile
How the dark shadows whisper darker compliments
Hoping for revival

I have a plan
We'd go down to town
And get ice cream
Hands brushing ever so often
We'd sit under that big tree
And laugh so vigorously
As we eat our ice cream

Then I'd read the palm of your hand
Tracing the lines as I tell you what they mean
When I'm done I'll smile at you
Your warm fingers will fold over mine
And I'll look in your sea glass eyes
As I wish this was more than a dream