Bitterness and Dreams

Ice cold eyes with nothing behind
Blank and blue
Fluttering at me but
I see your soul aching
From all of your self-imposed expectations
Not met throughout the years

You had a golden dream once
A young girl in an old world
Clean slate with hopeful eyes
Not an evil bone in your body
Just innocent thoughts and a warm heart

Just as you grew and structured your mind
Adulthood swiftly took over and
You became too rigid
Wrapped up tightly in your own truth
Stubborn ropes hold you in place
You are not open to love
Not real love, anyway

Years have made you bitter
Made you twisted and withered
On the inside and out
The evidence is for all to see
as you project your pain onto others

I do not resent you as I used to
I see a great sadness in you
That I wish somehow I could heal but
Time prevents me
The damage is well and truly done
But I wish I could speak to your young self
Warn you
Help you

I stand with your past self in silence
and I kneel,
placing my hands on your shoulders
"Never take life so seriously, my child-
The adults don't know as much as they think"