The Girl Who Tried to Be Someone Else

There once was a little girl

Who tried to escape her world.

She washed off the mud, the muck and the mire.

Her tom-boyish clothes she chose to retire

And a little pink dress

Is how she chose to dress

As she stood on the edge of her world

Far down below she could see a new place

Where she could choose a new name, new song, a new face.

All the people were dressed in bright shiny new clothes

This horrible life she could bring to a close

If only she could

Jump off the ledge where she stood.

And join the world below.

When she got down there it was quite a sight.

All of the colors beautiful and bright.

The people were kind and welcomed her in.

They said please sit, don’t cry, raise your chin.

And in this new world she did her absolute best.

To agree with the natives and even impress.

And with her new look

She bit on their hook

And was completely taken.

But things began to change

And their attitudes became odd and strange.

Their clothes were the skins

Of people they’d did in.

And their smiles were nothing but sharpened teeth

And the girl began to mourn she’d come to the world beneath.

With their strange costumes

Strange customs

And she began to miss her old life.

The new clothes began to chafe

And she didn’t feel quite safe.

The natives began to close in

And they yelled and told her she’d sinne.

And the shoes didn’t fit

The people began to spit

And kicked her out of their world.

And she climbed up the wall she’d fallen from.

And realized just how dumb

It was to do so many things

To please people who just couldn’t see

That different isn’t anything bad.

It only makes everyone quite sad

Who wash off the things that make them who they are

It’s something that can take you rather quite far

The scars and the bruises

It’s you who chooses

If they break or bind you

Or only serve to remind you

Just how strong you are.