Details

I stare at the girl in front of me,
And I can’t help but see,
The obvious things, brown hair, green eyes, small nose, freckles pepper her cheeks,
She only stares and refuses to speak.
I look closer, lines of worry carved into her flesh around the eyes and mouth,
Almost distorting her youth,
I look closer still, her eyes sparkle yet there is a void deep inside,
How she wants to run and hide,
Like part of her has given up on everything.
Her eyes are haunted, lost, dammed, refusing to sing
the praises of good times gone by.
I remember all that has happened to her, how she always struggles on,
Even though the burdens she carries weigh a tonne.
Constantly beaten up by life, knocked down and kicked,
Left to bleed and die, and life thinks it has her licked,
yet she always stands, carry’s on,
never done.
I see that in her eyes, her soul bare before me.
I can almost hear her scream a silent plea.

I blink tears away step back from the mirror, replace the mask,
Try to hide the signs, hope that today, like yesterday no one will notice, or ask,
Is everything okay?
But like they say,
it’s in the details and not even the most perfect of masks can cover everything.