I was a firefly child
A glowworm in the night
Burning strange colors
To signify
How I knew I would die

Chased down
Ripped to shreds
For children’s amusement
The abuses
Came

My pretty little fluttering light
Inflamed in pain
For your entertainment
For her relief
That release she needed
When her knuckles
Kneaded flesh

Even though
She never punched me
The scars you see
Were etched deeply
And the blinking
Got slower and dimmer


She pulled my hair
Because she cared
She slapped my face
Because she cared
She yelled and screamed
Because she cared
I lost my glow
Because she cared
She showed her love
With so much rage

And the wishes
Got colder and grimmer
Till finally I wanted to rip
My little light bulb but
Out of my tired and red marked back