Thick Black Coat

Someone wounded this once vibrant little girl
and to hide the scars, she wove herself 

a thick, black coat to shield her from the world 

She wore it all the time

never showing what was underneath

never letting that once-vibrant girl shine

No one knew that she buckled it so tight 

to keep all the broken pieces from falling out 
and getting lost in the darkness of night

There was a time when this girl felt free

 she danced and played in brightly-coloured dresses,

indulged her innocence and childlike curiosity

She wove stories and talked with delight

of what she would be when she grew up

The options were endless – the future bright

But time, as innocuous as it seemed 
turned a trusted friend into a stranger 

who stole away that childhood dream

Now, instead of stories, she weaves more threads

retreats further beneath the coat

and leaves those childhood words unsaid