Smiling, she takes breaths of water,

Chokes in perfect grace,

Covers up with makeup all the

burn marks on her face,

Curls up in the corner,

shoulders straight as straight can be,

Sees the rough outlines of windows

in the surface of her tea,

Puts her pens in perfect order,

Does her work in perfect time,

Looks perfection in a mirror,

Thinks mistake-making a crime,

Has the whole world in her handshake,

Fears the whole world in her head-

Yes she's smiling at the camera,

And she's wishing she were dead.