Choices
When a girl cuts
her pink ribbons off
her hair
she is given
the chance of freedom,
adulthood, and the chance
to save her innocent soul
it is her choice to
go to the graveyard
where she stands in front
of a mountain
of lost toys and
forgotten hopes
and dreams
It is guarded by
a monster
he marks his territory
with bite marks on her
toys and dreams
and hopes thrown into
the fire
with his hand
holding a handful
of toys
and a hand holding
hopes and dreams
he asks "what can I get for you, little girl?"
her hand is like ash as it hopelessly
disengrates in the abys of forgotten
every toy is charred and
broken, every dream and hope
is burned, every choice is taken
from her
And so it goes
she chooses the most unlikely
thing a wind up toy that
plays broken-up music
she holds up the toy
in recognition and
walks away with
the only hopes and dreams she
needs a voice
telling her she has
survived.