She Was Only 16

She didn’t know any better Was the excuse of the day And 16 is hard enough Without sibling children in the way “I didn’t birth these urchins,” She screamed for no one to hear But mom and dad were out the door In good spirit, full of cheer Selfish 16 year-olds rarely do as told And such was true that day She took the money they paid her And she was on her way The girl across the pond would do So she handed her a twenty “I’ll be back before they’re home,” For a good time, she had plenty And in that smoke filled barn With laughter, booze and boys 16 year old had few cares in the world Except for that tell-tale noise She tried to drown it out But she knew that she was wrong And it didn’t matter even a bit When they played her favorite song For the noise in her head grew louder It tugged it shouted it pulled She knew she had to get home, quick Her mother could not be fooled She steadied her hands on the wheel To relieve the stranger sitter But the gravel pulled the car from her And that’s when it hit her Broken glass around an old oak Sirens blaring from afar That one poor choice cost her family More than just a car And In the passing days Hushed whispers full of half truths Sobbing, crying, asking why? 16 drunk on 90 proof They say she was babysitting Left the kids all alone But she’s not here to tell her side She resides beneath granite stone