Disappearing Act

In love, in pain, a lonely pearl
lending voice to song;
twisted and bent, and not so slender.

What can be done for a girl
with self-image gone wrong,
caged forever in blurry gender?

Blank stare, hypnotic whorl,
shattering passion, loud as a gong…
Her hand raised as her only defender.

Authoritative, humbling, governing churl,
enemies gouged upon a vicious prong…
Neither pain nor lust can bend her.

In front of the mirror, lost in a curl,
the notes of her sorrow are hardy and strong,
yet black and blue, and very tender.

Broken like glass, grown like burl
she vanishes before the gathered throng;
only her tongue she cannot hinder.

Burst forth in lyric and dramatic twirl,
who she once was erased, agony lifelong
turned ashen, reduced to cinder.