She's always heard
that if you dream it,
you can achieve it
but so far all she's achieved
is a black eye and a
broken wrist
that her mommy kissed better
when daddy finally
let her go.
She walked to the hospital
but had no money to pay the bill
so she lied about
her name, saying she
got healthcare for free
cause her daddy had fought
in a war
which I guess is true
if you count home
as a war zone.
Endless days and
bandages later, and she's
dreaming again -
growing wings and soaring
toward tomorrow,
praying she will make it through today,
find somewhere
safe
to stay, to lay
her head down for a
second of
rest,
praying the pain will go away.
She's dreaming of
New York or L.A.
cause she's heard people find
happiness
there.
She thinks it's a myth, this whole
happiness business,
but her best friend says
she deserves it
so she's gotta try.
So she runs away, praying
daddy will be home late today.
But God doesn't always
answer prayers.
He doesn't always
listen
even when you need him to,
and daddy saw her from the highway.
Even mommy couldn't kiss
this one better.
Can you bear to see her now?
There's no dreaming in her eyes -
looks like a stone
cracked, broken by cold and the unknown.
I kiss her fragile, angelic face
and I turn away from her as
the door closes, my voice
breaking
out in a song - a prayer,
so quiet it's hard to hear,
but she's always said I have
an angel's voice,
so it somehow seems right that
night begins and
dreams end
with the angels singing through her
best friend,
surrounding her shrouded memory
as she is laid to rest
on a bed of dreams and roses
six feet deep.
Elizabeth Grace
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/goodnight-46/
