Being your daughter

Is flushed and scorched skin

A black Volvo too hot

To spend summertime in

A subway in August

Sweat under my bra

I bask in your warmth

As long as I stay without flaw

I saw

The way you spoke

About the good girl on fire

Her picture in your wallet

It’s not me you desire

Just a version

Your aversion

To the real me is sweet

You don’t want to meet her

But defeat her

And

stifle

her

~quirky~

heartbeat

My stadium seat

Is front row but

It bakes in the sun

My knees burnt to a crisp

So I never

remember

who

won

So I’m done, I’m out

Is what I wish badly to say

But though you’re the eclipse

To my sun

I

live

to

please

anyway

I chose

This life

So even when I decide

It’s too much

Still I pick outdoor patio furniture

That

scalds

at

the

touch

Ahh! That stings!

Sunscreen

drips

in

my

eyes!

I’m sweating profusely

In this

heavy

disguise

So I’m desperate for cool

And if I

get wet I win

But instead I sit next to the pool

And won’t ever jump in

Yes I’m a mirage

Spewing steam but

This is

the

only

true

way

To sparkle and

To be adored

For it all to be ok

So while “just follow your inner fire!”

May be what they all say

I can’t do it

Yes, I’m overheating

But if I’m to be loved

I must bake

With my

ashes

In the

heat

of the

day