Trapped and surrounded
By corruption at its finest;
Convicts of all kinds,
Staring at her with squinted eyes.
She prepares herself for another night
Just like the last;
Long and draining.

Intoxicating beauty on the outside,
But shattered on inside.
Forcing her routine and false grin
Because the rent needs to be paid.

Pouring shots, serving up beers
Sliding pints across the sticky bar;
Glass slicing through dense air, blanketed with
The remains of stale cigarettes.
And her night drags on
Until last call.

She wants nothing more than to be free from the rut.
No means to pay bail, and leave
What seems to be a life sentence—
Innocent and helpless.

But locked up,
She gets the job done.

I’ll escape one day

Someday.