A little girl
Before her bright blue eyes
Faded out to gray
She watched the other children play
While she hid

Under the ***** of the slide
Beneath the steps
She watched the others
Climb and fall
Staring up at them
Through creaking wooden cracks
Gaps in the planks
A pain tugged at her heart
Telling her she should cry
Because people cry when they hurt
Don't they?
She rubbed at her collarbone
Feeling a gentle swelling
Bruises beneath her t-shirt
A dull ache
Memories of anger
Wild bolts of fear
Confusion
What did she learn that night?
A drunken rage
He tore up her artwork
It had won her a prize
She watched it flutter to the floor
Shredded
He snarled
Words of threat and hate
And finally let her go
Stunned
She barely felt the pain from the blows
Adrenaline heightens everything
She picked up the pieces
And threw them away

A little girl
Before her bright blue eyes
Faded out to gray
She watched her best work
Fall into the trash

Recess
She didn't want to play
But she didn't want to sit alone
Hiding under the slide
Her teacher asked her
If she was alright
No
She told the truth
My daddy got angry last night
About the artwork
He always gets angry
Her teacher patted her arm
And smiled
And told her she really should play
With the other children

A little girl
Before her bright blue eyes
Faded out to gray
Watched as her teacher walked away
And still she couldn't cry