Thirteen Candles

Thirteen candles flicker, shadows in the hall

Five brothers brawlin’, she don’t feel seen at all

Mom's in the kitchen, Dad's glued to the screen

She’s screaming in her head but outside stays serene

Heavy backpack, books weigh more than her tears

Homework undone, buried under fears

Bedroom a cave, posters peeling off the wall

Her voice a whisper, but nobody hears the call

Thirteen shadows, drowning in the night

Smiling on the surface, hiding from the light

Family all around, yet she feels alone

Thirteen years young, carrying a heart of stone

Dinner table chaos, forks and knives clash

Conversations fly, her words turn to ash

Five voices louder, she fades into the noise

Dreams locked away, no keys, no joys

In the mirror, she stares at a stranger’s face

Eyes like storm clouds, can’t find her place

Covers her scars with long sleeves and lies

Wishes on stars, but the stars don’t reply

Counting cracks in the ceiling, midnight confessions

A war in her mind, battles of depression

Parents love in theory, but miss all the signs

Brothers roughhousing, crossing her lines