Worthless, useless
Brainless, they said
Stupid, nothing
never amount to anything
Little girl used to cry
Blows on a little body
Daggers in her dreams
Used to cry
Used to scream

Crazy girl
Touched in the head
She's too different
So they said
Helpless girl
Silent now
No one listened anyhow
No chance of rescue
No use to cry
Never anyone there to try
To to soothe the pain from those hazel eyes

They wanted her quiet
Tethered with pills
Makes makes her clumsy
Girl takes spills
Hides in stories
Hides inside
Hides in silence
Where their "discipline"
Can't touch her

No one ever knew
Crazy girl
Would they care anyway?
If they knew her actions were someone else
Created by the pills
In innocent blood
Would it change anything?

Years in silence
Years alone
Hiding in airhead smiles
Joking tone
Class clown
Class joke
Public shame
Hidden poet

Free at twelve
So she thought
Girl smiles
Carefree now
For a little while
But fifteen shaking
Bruises on her throat
Scared with every breath she takes
Innocent girl
Small for her age
Running in fear from her father's rage

After that week
She wonders why
What makes her such a failure in their eye?
What was inside her that turned out so wrong?
She turns to writing,
Turns to song
She wonders if she's crazy
If maybe they're right
No one seems to remember her plight
Caustic word cut open old fears
Making her doubt her memory of years
Of secrets told to only one
Maybe if she'd been born a son?
Or if she'd been the one they planned
Maybe the wouldn't have raised a hand

Why would anyone believe?
She wonders
Drying tears on her sleeve
A father in scouting,
Volunteers, donates blood
A pillar of the community
Well loved
A mother who takes in neighborhood strays
Works in customer service clutter
She wouldn't throw anything at her daughter!

Grown up girl
Restless, scared
Changes her look
Changes her hair
Looking for love
Somewhere to belong
Someone to hold her
To help her be strong
Someone she doesn't have to hide around
Wandering through life
Eyes on the ground
Going to college
Saying it's over
Saying it's gone
But she still can't sleep
And the nights are long
Running in moonlight
When no one can see
Her shadow can't catch her
If she keeps up the speed

How can something be over
If it's hidden in the dark
So the girl takes her shadows
Her heart in her throat
Fingers on keys
Her past in each stroke

Breaking the silence
Trying to say
If someone begs for help...
Please! Don't look away.
The scars might not be plain to see
But I wouldn't want anyone
Suffering like me