laugh lines

the lines around her mouth are getting deeper

on that baby face

all those cigarettes that looked so pretty in pictures

leaving nicotine stains

some of them don't seem quite as bad

as the others that turn my stomach in the middle of the night

i wonder if she cried yet

i think it's honestly hidden relief

but should i say more i'll sound really mean

i bet i can tell you what will happen next

but i'll sit and wait and promise to look surprised

i wouldn't feel so uncomfortable if the feeling wasn't affirmed

like i can feel the extra weight on my bones

and all of the sudden, she and i are the same

the wanting little girl in the 90s

panicked by every morsel

the seated position is driving me

stark.raving.mad

and the roads around here are paved with good intentions

and double standards

what i worked so hard to see, i cannot see anymore

is the mirror broken or is it my vision?

the optical nerve or just my mind's eye's trickery

but every single time the reminders go off like alarms

discount to zero

she tally's your bill

and she'll make you pay long after the warranty is up

long after the scars fade

long after the cravings are gone

the lines around her mouth are getting deeper

on that baby face

her charm is deceptive

and beauty is fleeting...