There was once a girl
who thought words were
only ideas,
and that music was
only noise.

She spent long hours
thinking,
and trying to draw
hearts for the boys
she passed on the train.

They only stared at her
with empty eyes
and scars on their lips
from the cigarettes
and told her the drawings
were silly.

She rubbed salt on her cheecks
and threw away the
drawings.
She thought they were inadequette,
like she wasn't
good
enough.

She painted checkers
on her fingernails,
and threw away her pencils.
She didn't take the train anymore,
and she made herself
happy.