They tell you about
those reckless girls.
Those girls who, with
smudged eyeliner,
look glamorous
the morning after.

Those reckless girls,
when holding their hair back
is a high privilege
of sharing
another wild night.

Those reckless girls
strutting over
in leather boots
and chain bracelets to slap
their illegally older boyfriends

Those reckless girls
making you feel guilty
you don’t have the
willpower for anorexia,
the courage for cocaine.

Reckless girls
when therapy
is a plot device
and pushing people away
just brings them closer

Reckless girls
whose disasters
make them deep
and screwing up
makes for higher ratings

Off-screen,
Those reckless girls
are nothing like
all the wrecked girls
that I know.

Truth is,
they aren’t popping pills
Because they’re strong.
They aren’t passing out
Because they’re beautiful.