The reflection and I are acquainted
But she stands a little taller
And her frown is now smaller
Her soul just a little less tainted.

The girl staring back at me, she’s older
But less wrinkles around the eyes
There are no shadows from the lies
Through hard lessons she has become bolder.

The mirrored image brings a weary smile
That girl is now a bit stronger
And she is in pain no longer
The battle she has fought has been worthwhile.

Bandaids on a broken heart,
Ugly but a work of art.
Blood pumps under plastic strip,
Not pretty but contains the drip.

Holds together barely, though
Barely still contains the flow.
Bandaids on a broken heart,
Still broken but it’s a start…

Is it your loss that
I can feel in the air or…
Is it your whisper?

I dare say that you’d
Suggest I believe that, which
Would bring me a smile.

Do not be a silent song
Use your voice to speak your truth
Sing it in the shower
Shout it across the rooftops
Let it vibrate across the walls of every soul.

Do not be a silent song
Not when your voice is so beautiful
It may quiver at first
It may rattle and shake
But there is a power in having it heard.

Do not be a silent song
If you cannot sing, be an orchestra
Play it on the cello
Beat it on the drum
Allow the crowd to hear your heart and applaud.

Dark sky, faded light
Deathly cold and starless night.
Flash of lightning, racing heart
This storm could tear her life apart.

First she fights, then hides, then screams,
But the storm could offer bigger dreams
So she stands her ground, facing the rain
She’s brave and strong, despite the pain.

Revelation, ray of light
Silver moon in starless night.

Her hands are stained with past mistakes
Her tears are thick with rage
She is helpless as her weak heart breaks
She’s stuck inside this cage.

She’s felt this many times before
She fears it’s much too late
Too scared to strive for something more
She hides behind her fate.

The room around her closes in
She sits motionless and weeps
Watching the depression win
Only happy when she sleeps.

If she wanted she could leave her hell
But she just won’t turn the page
Too scared to leave what she knows so well
Stuck inside this cage.

She sits in her chair
She sips her hot tea
She looks out the window
She longs to be free.

She could open that door
But her hand quivers so
She’s scared of the life
That she doesn’t well know.

So she sips and she sits
And she looks on the street
And wonders and worries
About the people she’d meet.

One day the door opens
She could go out and see
But she sips and she sits
Yet she longs to be free.