she was a little girl once,
playing with dolls and laughing at nothing,
wearing a dress her mother picked out
as she plays pretend in the backyard.
but that was an eternity ago—
now, she’s all grown up,
playing with fire and yelling at no one,
wearing whatever she wore the night before
as she walks home from a strange bed.
eyes that were once filled with hope
look to the ground in despair
sweet lullabies have been replaced
with broken whispers and bitter lies
dreams of a prince charming evolved
into dreams of someone, anyone,
who will love her, if only for a night.
what once was loving innocence
is now painful corruption
and as she raises a glass of *****
to her pale, cursing lips, she prays (in vain)
that she could one day know the happiness
of being six years old again.