They always said to do better
Time and time again, it was never enough
A tug here and a tug there, a secret hidden beneath her sweater
Caused by words not loving but rough

They always sought excellence over sanity
Do this, do that, but may you never follow your dreams
If you listen closely, you can hear the pleas of insanity
But in reality all she wants to do is scream

Be like the rest they said
A level of perfection she could not reach
Late at night as they slept soundly, not knowing that her wrists bled
She could never speak of this, even though she was born with the freedom of speech.

Gone was the little girl with eyes that shone like the stars
I write this poem inspired by words told by my own
Marked as a failure by my own scars
Left with a shattered heart and pain that can be felt down to every last bone.