Portrait of a Girl on Stage

A Sonnet

Photo by Theo Eilertsen Photography on Unsplash

Perhaps you see the girl in glittering grace
atop the world, beneath the burning lights
and think you know, beyond the perfect face,
the stardust of her bones. You know her
right as rain and every last cliche, but no.
The story goes beyond the narrow eyes
that pin her down, a butterfly, just so,
prepared for men to cut and write their lies
in gilded ink upon her spotless skin
the way they always do…