the fortress
inside which she sits
was not created to keep
forces of destruction
out
no dogs wait to attack
no guns line the battlements
no officers stand watch in the towers
no electric fences
no barbed wire
the walls are solid and tall
a handcrafted citadel
not meant to prevent intruders
but to keep the essential parts of her
shielded
too many times
she heard she was
too boring
too smart
too loud
too confident
dreaming too big
loving too hard
wanting too much
little does she know
the structure vowing to keep her safe
is twice as successful
at keeping everyone
out
