Dreams Died First

Darkness pressed in like smoke upon a flame
searing her skin like the cuts on her face.
Blood dried up like bark, burning like shame.
Lying in the dark her hopes had no place.

They'd beaten in her head
and left her for dead -
Beaten out desire, beaten out her heart,
beaten out the fire, beaten out her art.

Curled up on the ground, head against a tree
her grief profound and no more tears to cry
behind a hedge windbreak where none could see
a girl felt heartache, felt all her dreams die
For the first time...