Pay no attention to the girl 

thumbing through textbooks,

the tension in her chest screaming its existence. 

Pay no attention to the girl 

washing her hands 

for too many minutes, not looking up into the mirror. 

Pay no attention to the girl 

penciling in calories 

and negotating fifteen-minute schedule blocks in her day planner. 

I know, it can be hard not to pay attention to the girl

folding laundry 

and scrubbing the kitchen floor as the night hours get large and then small. 

Maybe she herself should - NEEDS TO - 

pay attention 

to come in front of her own curtain. 

But until she can

- PLEASE, dear God, she pleads - 

pay no attention.....