Neighborhood Watch

She used to sit out all summer

Looking after our street wearing only her socks

Her brother would bring her a beer

And she’d sit and she’d sip until the sun went down

She was the neighborhood watch

And she’d never left her plot

Though she could barely move

She’d scream till her face turned blue

When she was twelve her mom said Michelle

Why don’t you smile why don’t you cheer up?

And in the dead of night she wrapped her fingers in bright light

Moving them through the shadows filled the room

And at school she struggled to make friends

Lost in her thoughts she made plans to pretend

To care what others thought to see how it felt

It didn’t feel good

She was the neighborhood watch

Whenever bullies fought

She’d always break it up

There wasn’t any kid as tough