Scarred Poem by Kelsey Gallant

Best I remember, it was Fourth of July
She was laughing as she slid down the waterslide
Jumping in, doing flips, making friends on the fly
I never would’ve guessed she held a secret inside

Then she held up her arm, and I noticed her scars
And my world tilted slowly as she said, “Life is hard
But I deal with the pain in the easiest way
Yeah, I know it’s not good but it helps day by day.”

I glance at her once and all that I see
Is an innocent girl at the age of thirteen
I never would’ve known about the pain in her heart
The abuse and the memories that tear her apart

But we talked late that night, in the mottled pool light
And we watched as the fireworks lit up the sky
And she said, “Do you see? They’re a sign that we’re free
And I know that I’m not, but I wish I could be.”

Her story stayed with me, her scars all too real
Marking her fight to control what she feels
And my eyes have been opened; any person I meet
May be mentally drowning in waters too deep

Best I remember, it was Fourth of July
She smiled through her tears with her face to the sky
Desperate to be seen, to be heard, to be hugged
Her greatest desire was just to be loved

(Published in Print in 'DeSSerted Island: Poem Collection' - 2014)