When She Was 5

When she was 5,
she had light blonde hair in pigtails,
crooked baby teeth,
in a small light pink dress,
her favorite color,
she played,
peacefully.

When she was 8,
she had tangled blonde hair,
crooked missing teeth,
scraped knees.

When she was 11,
she had a knotty mane of tangled blonde hair,
metal on her teeth,
scraped knees,
and bent barbies.

When she was 13,
she had straight lifeless blonde hair,
yellowing teeth,
bent knees,
scratched wrists,
and broken cigarette between her fingers.

When she was 15,
she had dull blonde hair,
yellowed teeth,
scared knees,
scared and cut up wrists,
a cigarette between her long fingers,
and a bong on her thighs.

When she was 18,
she had messy blonde hair,
dried lips,
and yellowed teeth,
scared and bruised knees,
destroyed wrists,
a cigarette in her hand,
and a bong in another,
pills on her bed.

When she was 19,
she had curled blonde hair,
dried out lips,
scared and taped knees,
covered wrists,
a flower bouquet resting between her tiny hands,
soft,
light lace on her thighs,
laying peacefully on her light pink casket,
her favorite color.