she awoke
in the duskiest night
in the ever-shrinking
embrace of the light
tore at the metal,
that blameless steel
(winced as her teeth forgot to feel)
nails meet gums, and gums won't heal
nail beds make contact with rubber and blood;
veins escape skin, then unleash to flood
fingertips betray goosebumps
and you call this love?

one morning
mama had
a nasty surprise
her sweet little angel
was filled up with lies
lash to lids,
blood covered her eyes

and all that remained of her braces
were flies.