See that girl,
Sitting over there?
Nose in a book,
Multicoloured hair?
She’s out to show the world

Never wanting to explain
Why her socks don’t match
Or her silly fears of Snakes on a Plane.
This girl is out to prove
That she is better than most think.

Stereo-typed, categorised
Listed, numbered,
Taken note of--
Her name is on the attendance record
But her absences are nothing of consequence.

She watches
From behind her frames
The others, as they stake their claims
Most popular, prettiest, easiest to kiss
Wondering, “What matters this?”

See that girl?
She: sings like a lark
Plays piano in the dark
Is afraid of the noise
Afraid of feeling naked, stark.

Poems, handcrafted
Pictures, thoughtfully drawn
Essays, longwinded written
Arias, soulfully sung
Only for herself

Unspoken statements
Logos on T-shirts
A bow in her hair
Bright clothing screaming
‘I am more than I appear!’

She knows
That her drummer’s score is in 6/8
Not 4/4
But that doesn’t really bother her
This girl is done with grudges, and past judges.

See that girl?
She’s discovering that she has something to say
She’s opening her mouth today
She’s asking for some financial help
So she can use her gifts to change the world

Because
On the inside, she is trying to forget
Her tormentors’ faces and empty threats
She’s put her foot down, one last time
Sure, the world will judge, but she’ll be ready next time.