To the Girl

This is to the girl who lost her friends,

Became a loner or made amends.

This is to the girl who learned to cope

With strange devices, minus hope.

This is to the girl who cried all night

And wished someone could hold her tight.

This is to the girl.

This is to the girl who finds her way,

Year by year and day by day.

This is to the girl who’s growing up

And wondering, “Am I enough?”

This is to the girl who falls apart

Because there’s pain inside her heart.

This is to the girl.

This is to the girl who gives away

All her power without a say.

This is to the girl who starves, or cuts,

Or binges hard and then throws up.

This is to the girl who drowns her pain

In alcohol or self-disdain.

This is to the girl.

This is to the girl who cries afresh

Each time she sees her own real flesh.

This is to the girl who loses sleep

Because anxiety is steep.

This is to the girl who longs for eyes

That see her as the perfect size.

This is to the girl.

This is to the girl who wakes up sad

And lives her whole life feeling bad.

This is to the girl who needs a hand

But thinks no one will understand.

This is to the girl who wants escape

From food, or numbers, fear, or rape.

This is to the girl.

This is to the girl in all of us,

Struggling still to be enough.

This is to the girl—this is to you,

From another girl who was there too.

This is to the girl.

This is to the girl who’s in my heart,

Who’s in my head at each day’s start.

This is to the girl—this is to you,

From another girl who was there too.

This is to the girl.

© Arielle Lee Becker 2008

I know you’re out there. And I’m right here. For you, I’m here anytime: arielle.becker@gmail.com

Reach out.