Little girls sprinkling fairy dust on your fingertips

To slash slash slash the dazzle back into your blood

In hopes that you will sparkle like something beautiful

For once in this comatose prison.

You glue romance-red heels to your bedpost so you can dream

Of tux-boys and dancing in the moonlight for no one to see,

But you wake up and all you see is a drag-style nightmare with

Cement and plastic kids with hidden guns in their hearts.

I know why you pause at night, in front of deserted houses—

You can’t stop thinking of what could have been

And all these dreams about carousels and cotton-candy smiles

That should have never cost a thing, really did take their toll on reality

Because now you’re nothing but that girl who lost her shine;

Who stares out her window too long, thinking of how it could be (“should be”).