Kayla stares
Creepily captured in a lasting pose
Flaking finish behind
betraying.
Her poverty,
the few but memorable nights
where her rumbling stomach
kept her awake.
Her new dress fits itchy,
with the awful formality
of this birthday portrait.
Grownups are more in the habit of lying
(or tacting, if one is so inclined).
There's nothing wrong,
We don't need help,
We're just going through a rough patch.
They teach her to say things like
I left my lunch at home.
I walked into something.
I fell down the stairs.
Her friends and relatives,
mostly relatives,
gathering around
tell her, smile for the camera.
But Kayla won't.
She's tired of lying.
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1 comment:
"Grownups are more in the habit of lying (or tacting, if one is so inclined)." You should never trust anyone over the age of 30. At 30, grownups stop feeling pain. They stop worrying about supporting their children, keeping their jobs, or paying their mortgages. They are a cruel bunch, indeed, especially when they hold back advice in favor of letting their children discover life for themselves.
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