There was once a girl,
And she was loved by all,
and she was beautiful,
and she was young. 

There was once a girl, 
And she was innocent, pure, 
and she was honest, 
and she laid bare all. 

There was once a girl, 
And she was beautiful,
and she was unaware, 
and she was filled,
plagued with insecurity. 

There was once a girl,
And she was pensive,
and she was overlooked,
and she was numb, 
she was broken,
yet she was still young. 

There was once a girl,
who lived a life of battle,
who drank for the pain,
who swallowed for the suffering,
who jumped for the isolation,
So that she wasn't a girl anymore.

There are so many things happening around me,
People are living their lives accordingly,
And they seem to not struggle,
Or falter.

Children are born;
Perfect,
Flawless,
Well at least that's what they say.

One thing that cannot be denied,  
is a child's innocence.
There is no child that is born tainted,
By the circumstances of life;

A child is pure,
And they shall remain so,
Until life poisons them,  
In a unique way.

Thus, remember this:
Silencing innocence
Only magnifies,
intensifies,
the evils of this world
and the poisons within us all.