She tried to be the girl who walked
With summer on her shoulders
The girl that you could find in pictures
In the uniforms of wounded soldiers

She tried to be assertive
Confident, and kind and brave
The kind of girl you bring to mother
A powerful, yet gentle wave

She tried to be their sunshine
The girl who filled the room with light
But all that she could muster
Was a smile that never burned as bright

She was the girl who’d fade in crowds
The girl with clouds above her head
The one who never spoke aloud
She was the book they never read