Medusa

wasn't liked as a child
not on the playground
or in the classroom
she always cried
walked home alone
a book bag over one shoulder
just a late bloomer
they said
but didn't really mean it

she met a boy once
who called her up
and told her she was ugly
that her hair was nappy
later
she cried listening to the dial tone

unable to sleep
body wrapped in sheets
like a corpse
she tore with her nails
all of them dull from being bitten short
at her face
at her hair

when she was older
she left town
moved east
she lived there for a while
collected little porcelain figurines
animals and men
until the house was full of them
but the more she got
the more empty the place seemed

finally a man did show up
the first person really interested in her
for who she really was
she almost cried tears of joy
when she suddenly saw
that he would not look her in the eyes
before she could speak
he cut off her head

no one missed her much