She thought she was grown
while living on her own.
She was only seventeen
and a former homecoming queen.
The guys surrounded her
and stood by her side
because she always caught their eyes.
The bigger her circle of friends grew,
the more men she met were new.
They didn’t understand
her hopes and dreams.
All they wanted
was to hear her scream.
They slowly lured
her to the other side.
The side of exploitation and ruin.
Her innocence evaporated
into the wind.
Her reputation went sour.
Her beauty faded
with each hour.
She no longer
was innocent and pure.
She was now
a part of the seedy landscape
with dashed hopes and dreams
and misguided innocence.
