she smiled with scars

dearer to her heart

than her own flesh and blood

her own kin and kind

everything had changed

but resolutions, but fate 

she wore the injustice of time

proudly upon her wrists

never fretting

never regretting

everything had changed

but pride, but fate

the hollows of her eyes

housed a million lies

a mess of fake smiles

precipitated cries

everything had changed

but reservations, but fate

she moved with an air

masking her bitter trails

lest someone saw

lest someone scraped

everything had changed

but world, but fate 

she searched the nights

pleaded with misty skies

breathing off deserted dreams

trying to fly off broken wings

everything had changed

but hope, but fate

the sun couldn’t burn her

the chill couldn’t touch her soul

her shadow had abandoned her

she was now truly alone

everything had changed

but life, but fate

she was a living chimera

her frame a skeleton of deceits

her heart took to happy denials

her mind played reckless games

everything had changed

but she, but fate

~~~~~

Asha Seth