School Pictures

Stumbling through school a ‘kick me’ sign on her back toilet paper stuck to her shoe with superglue Told to be silent unless spoken to and never fight back against the bullies putting bubblegum in her hair Threatening to beat her in the bathroom Sitting in the broken chair falling to the floor ending up on her ass No one lends a hand as they pass leaving her like the Levite giggling like goons at the free lunch girl in the thrift store dress the holes in the soles of her sandals patched with duct tape Spending her days lost in the library reading Shakespeare’s plays instead of milling around the mall Strolling in the cemetery singing old songs She feels safe there for the dead don’t laugh and call her nasty names Lofty dreams in her head that will never come true I see it all in those eyes of blue though the photographer had told me to smile