– Ivy Miller

She powders her face to be pretty
She thought beauty lost long ago
When she had to cross an ocean
She thinks the powder she puts on
Can bring the beauty back to her
But she has not considered this:
That on the ocean beauty broke
Floated the sea with the bodies
Shards of beauty stayed on shore
With breaths of unfortunate ones
Beauty ran and hid from the war
It couldn’t stand to watch a child
Scream as her skin peeled off her
Or see a babe and mother in a ditch
Not safe even after death, not ever
Maybe beauty could not watch
It escaped out eyes, down cheeks
Made its escape across the ocean
And is here in her son’s laughter
Or plays in the evening sunlight
Perhaps she has forgotten beauty
Maybe she can’t see it anymore
Maybe she feels it in her chest
But she remembers the past when
Beauty left her world once before
She powders her face while praying
Beauty will not leave this place too