I am

that little girl

who lived on the beach

loved life

encompassing everything

that little girl

knew not of poverty

of real-life villains

or heart-breaks of Mommy

that little girl

believed she’s a mermaid

would grow up a teacher

to help people HER way

that little girl

thought sad was sickness

anger, a cartoon emotion

she could only bare witness

that little girl

has haunted me ever since

twenty-four years later

I am that little girl again

having realized where she went

inside me, where she was sent

in pain communicated by men

because she was but only seven

devastated by their want of power

twenty-four years later

at two months shy of thirty

it has become very clear to see

the source of what is separating

that little girl from the haunted me-

and that’s been me listening to society

twenty-four years later

that little girl has come to light

to realize there’s one true left or right

as only oriented by an individual’s own sight

and so that little girl is reborn, into an adult life

-M.E.

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(inspired by the offered phrase, but I didn’t use it because the instructions weren’t that specific and I thought creative freedom was encouraged so, I ran with it. Thank you for the challenge!)