In class,
     she mouthed the answers softly
     but kept them to herself.
With her black pen,
     she created fake tattoos on her ankle
     the ink sinking into her flesh
     mixing with her blood that flowed
     slowly and silently through her veins.
Her notebook
     failed in containing her thoughts
     the pages rip themselves out
     floating onto the thirsted lawn
     her words fading in the rain
     running off the paper into the grass.

by K. A., Pepperell, MA