October 19, 1998, nearly 17 hours after her due date
 A little girl with a full head of hair was born.

She named her Alysia Marie.
Alysia was her star.
At the age of 2 she wowed the crowds with a dance
recital performance and couldn’t stop talking.
 
3 years later this little star was the only survivor
from the fire that stole her grandmother’s home and
her grandfather. The child grew into an accident prone
eleven year old, she tore a ligament in her left knee
then dislocated her right knee.
 
That year was the same year she went to public
school for the first time. She developed an attitude,

problems with authority figures, bad grades,
suspensions, and bullies.
The year after everything was the same except
her bullies had promoted, but she almost didn't.
 

In freshman year she told her mom
she be her star again.
Promised to straighten up, try harder,

and respect the authority there.

That didn't happen.
 
Sophomore year she finally pulled herself
back together and began to glow
like all stars should. She did her work,
and placed her path back to the sky.

That summer her cousin was stabbed

by a friend, a "friend" is doing 3 years on a plea.
How was she to function in junior year,

GPA too low to join a sport,

trying to play catch up on credits,
looking into colleges that won’t take her
until she does time in a community college.
 
This girl who saw life as peaches and cream
from pre-k to fifth grade know the truth now.
Still she is not giving up, this is her senior year 
she’s ahead on credits, working, and applying for colleges.
None of her peers could walk on those shoes.
 
Alysia Marie is 17,
And she has seen her mother’s face glow
with pride because she is finally on track
to take her place among the stars.