Baby girl, you’ve got such tired eyes –

this life has worn you down, sunk

its teeth into your spine, broken bones

you didn’t even know you had –

you are falling.

Baby, those eyes of yours – they beg,

asking favors I can’t give, making promises

you can’t keep. Fingerprint bruises

smudged dark by more than the mascara

running down your cheeks.

Baby, your eyes are hollow, your smile

is jagged around the edges and cracking

at the corners. But baby you, with your tired

eyes, you are beautiful.

You have never been lovelier than you are

right now, right this moment, as you wipe

the tears away. Take your tired eyes

and recognize – you are a fantastic

dichotomy, half blasphemy, half truth,

and you are precious.

Take a breath, let me breathe for you.

You deserve the world, you deserve

so much more. I will hold you while the sky

caves in, collapses, buries

everything you have ever known

and everything you never will.

Baby, I will wait with you, for you.

I will let you rest. I can’t give you forever,

but I can give you my word –

I’ll be here when you wake up, baby girl.