Will They Ever Know...

There’s a girl I know and she tells me a tale.

 She feels like she’s floating around on the wind of the words coming from the mouths of the ones who think that she is saved. She holds her arms outstretched, taking in all that they say as if it will lift her high and send her someplace, anywhere but here.

 Will they ever know what it’s like to be the little girl lost inside all she could be, never fulfilling her dreams? Or the woman grown, with shape and style, breathe flowing from her skin with the light of what’s inside, burning every piece of what she is on its way into the world. Will they ever know?

 Will they ever know how her eyes don’t see what theirs can see and that with each compliment of beauty they throw her way she looks in the mirror a little less, thinking her reflection is different from what they say. The ugliness she feels is locked inside, but will they ever know?

 Will they ever know how it feels when they call her a woman with a voice, with something to say, but she can’t seem to hear what they hear. To her the song seems so off key sometimes she decides just not to sing. She feels the music inside her fade with every day, but will they ever know?

Will they ever know that when they tell her of all the things she can do, how the power in her soul is felt when she walks in the room, she feels only weak inside? She’s lost inside the maze of her heart and each time they ask her to lead all she can do is close her eyes and walk blind, but will they ever know?

Will they ever know that each day she calls out the question of what she’s supposed to be, yet no matter how clear the answer seems it always seems to fade before she can lock in it her mind? She knows there’s more than what she’s been so far, but failures building, she loses the motivation to search much more. Will they ever know?

And will they ever know, the children around, that her fear of letting them down keeps her mind in torment, her heart in pain? She walks through the daylight mundanely performing the chores required so that they’ll be okay. She hides behind the bathroom door when it all just seems too much, catching her breath before she paints on the smile and tries to be all that they need. Will they ever know?

She lives her life, day to day, and does what she should do. She plays the part and does it well, but yet still dreams of the time she can disappear. So they all tell her how to save herself, but will they ever know?