Success

06.20.98

Whispered moments like honey to her heart 
Breathless time standing still 
as she contemplates this sparkling chance 
and fights like hell to not crumble 
under the pressure to succeed 


Give her just a moment; 
a span of half-forgotten dreams 
that she doesn't recognize from girlhood 
as being her. 
Was not childhood simply the time 
biding until you could be grown and gone 
and leaving this nightscape you live 
as you hope for validation 
and dream of bruises. 


That girl, gone 
never had silly dreams 
of making it big and rich 
of caring for lost legions 
of caring for self 
only the fragments of wishes 
for black eyes to scream the pain 
and purple marks to map the passage 
of his hands. 


Now, though, now 
This 
and a million tender anxieties fluttering 
making trembling nerves stretch taut 
and forcing her to an effort 
never before exerted 
and finding a sense of joy and accomplishment
never before known. 
Give her a moment, here 
to savor the flavor of labour 
borne for self.