She's Only Seventeen

She’s only seventeen, but…
She carves her pain in long red strips
on her forearms and thighs,
shuts the bathroom door up tight,
locks herself away and cries.
She hides the bruises on her arm
with long-sleeved sweaters,
writes her friends goodbye letters
telling them she wants things to get better.
She tries to leave the house, but her boyfriend won’t let her.
She’s been with him for almost four years,
and I’ve watched from the sidelines as she hides her tears.
Drugs, alcohol, and suicide attempts just
blur the lines within her mind,
and every day I come to find
she’s the reason I cry at night.
My best friend’s pregnant at seventeen,
by a man who cheats on her,
beats on her,
and doesn’t give a damn.
I just wish she could see he’s got nothing to give,
and she’s still got a life to live.
She’s only seventeen.

by PrettyOdd
posted on 08/04/2008