She was listening

To the chatter of the crowd

The accusations like bee stings

A pinch of pain

She was listening

To the praise in her awards

To the freedom in her laugh

The joy that mends her wounds

She was listening

To the fight inside herself

Reinforced by her surroundings

The joy has dissipated into doubt

She grew quiet

Her wounds weren’t mending

The bee stings turned into daggers

She is left for dead

She became silenced

Because no one believed a word she said

She had no breath left to fight

Their words became her

She continued on

Her thoughts consumed her, leaving her empty

Day, Night, Asleep, Awake

With no soul to care

She believed

A future she would power towards

A life she looked forward to

Maybe not today, but someday.