There was a time
where she smiled
for no reason

When dandelions
tickled her silly
and clouds
reminded her of marshmallow
fluff

When rain would drip down
in a waterfall of color
And she would itch
to taste
Its bitterness
To feel its depth of
icy kisses
To see it
fall like sullen
tears
and hear it sing sweet lullabies

All of her senses
seemed to melt
like candle wax

And when home became
a featherless memory
she would dream of
crisp ironed sheets,
creaky floorboards
and baked ******
bread

She was once jovial
Free
to roam
the invisible world
that thrived in forests
and oceans

That saccharine
saltiness
that rolled off her tongue
to whisper
now decomposed
wishes of
tomorrow

the mountain only grows steeper
so that your roots can dig in deeper

—keep climbing

Her mind is pushed to the limit,
A hoarse whisper it will permit,

To the very extent,
Alienated in her own body,
A fleeting shadow across the pavement,
Surreal, just like a nobody,

Puppets in a masquerade ball,
With heavy make-up & dressing,
To compensate, a mind's steep fall,
Sirens, beauty's trickery harnessing,

Their talk, walk & life the same,
Striving for unattainable bliss,
For joy & money, a losing game,
The costume perfect, her mind'll miss,

The old ignorant untamed self,
With flashy smiles & well-timed nods,
The simple, the complicated do engulf,
Like a morning alarm, the tiny voice again prods.