She With the Eyes of Fading Stars

Tears slipped quietly 

Down her face, hair 

Messily tied back into 

The lowest of low ponytails, and 

Perfectly manicured nails just begun 

To be chewed upon clutched 

A sparkling phone case; 

The glittery stars seemed 

Too bright in her tired eyes fading 

Like real stars, non- 

Artificial, would as 

The day brightened;

Perhaps her eyes were

Just the same

As those stars;

She looked so tired, so sad, but

It was all I could do to think

She looks so pretty

Like that, like

Any moment she’ll fall from

The plastic case she’s

Painted around herself;

Perhaps me seeing that was

What was so scary for her, why

The walls falling away felt like

They were caving in, but

Maybe there was also a part of her that

Needed it, to

Have the survivor of herself be seen with

Each quiet flare of a tear, and

To have someone know there was

Someone still there, someone

Who would succeed the her she

Tried so hard to be;

I rested my hand atop

The crumbling yet

Neatly skin-cared back of hers and

Gave her a little smile.

You look so pretty, and

Can I sit with you?

I would like to thank OverTheRainbow because while they had nothing really to do with this poem, I feel like they inspired me to write it in the voice and style I did.  Your writing is so incredible, and I'm so grateful I get to read it!