By Lina Norris-Raman, TIWP Student

For the girl who smokes outside the school,
we all know she’s struggling.
For the girls who judge her,
they deceive themselves into believing they’re okay.
They criticize her to avoid confronting their own issues.
They belittle her to gain acceptance, to fit in.
Perhaps it’s all they’ve ever sought.
For the girls who are envious.
For the girls who are sorrowful.
For the girls who weep at night.
For the girl who has to go home and act okay.
For the girls who hate their house just as much as school.
For the girls who like long walks
and books to take them somewhere else just for a while
so they don’t have to think about
how they never smile.