There is a Girl of Just Sixteen

There is a girl of just sixteen –

She is no more than you or me –

She has a couple Distant Dreams,

She dreams and dreams and dreams and dreams –

Why does she work so hard? – you wonder –

It’s in her blood and raising, too –

Put School first – don’t make a blunder

Her parents said – that is the Rule.

She works and works and works and works,

Holding back her fireworks –

Put School first – indeed she does –

In front of everything she loves –

Her fingers red – from ceaseless writing –

Her heart is sore – hold back her lightning –

Her lips are torn – from all her biting –

Stress is growing, building, heightening –

She has a map upon her wall

Labeled places she wishes to go –

Wonders if she’ll get there at all –

College may be her only hope –

But how does she get to college?

Good Grades are what she dreams and needs –

School is becoming less about knowledge

And more about a degree.

Until then her pen runs across

Her paper laid down like the loss

Of all hopes and dreams and happy thoughts –

Growing old with age and dirty moss –

This girl is tired, tired, tired –

As she works and works and works –

And she dreams, dreams, dreams –

She dreams so hard it hurts –

But don’t give up – she says –

Never ever give in.

So she prays and prays and prays and prays –

That the Darkness will not win.