Paper dolls and tutu skirts
have been replaced by music and boys
cigarette smoke fills her room
she takes her first long drag
cough sputter smile
her parents know the good days are over
and no matter how many times the ground her
she'll find a way to get out at night
and stumble in at 4am
smelling faintly of beer and smoke
she'll claim it's no big deal and crash in her room
"one day she'll understand"
her mother sighs
"she'll grow out of this"
but it isn't just a game to her
it's a way to escape
the paper dolls and tutu skirts
she loved long ago
now it's hollow love and dangerous drugs
loud music and skipping class
and she won't listen to when they say
"this won't get you anywhere"
that's the game to her
pretending she doesn't care about long ago
the paper dolls
the tutu skirts
smoke fills her room and she sighs
"yeah that was long ago"
