This 14 Year Old Girl

I once was this 14 year old girl.

I once was this 14 year old girl with innocent eyes,

watching the world pass her by.

I once was this 14 year old girl.

I once was this 14 year old girl who look to the future

with bright eyes and hope and excitement about

learning to find herself in this great big world.

I once was this 14 year old girl who wrote poetry on Myspace,

who had dreams of being a musician, a writer,

An entertainer, a creator, an artist.

I once was this 14 year old girl

who thought she could go out into the world

and be someone.

I once was this 14 year old girl.

I once was this 14 year old girl

who took this bathroom selfie.

I once was this 14 year old girl

who was too shy, too scared

to follow her dreams,

so she gave up on them, it seems.

I once was this 14 year old girl with these dreams.

Now I’m 36 living with these broken dreams, and a broken country.

I feel like my innocence has been taken from me,

the innocence of an American wanting to make something

of herself in this fucked up world;

I once was this 14 year old girl.