She cries herself to sleep every night.
Her eyes red with tears
8 years old
Alone on the streets
Her parents been dead for a year
Both parents shot down by gang violence
Her parents did nothing wrong
Just in the wrong place at the wrong time
Two honest parents gunned down for no reason
Not having anyone to turn to
Or
Nowhere to go
She learned to fend for herself
Fight when she has to
Riff raff
Street rat
Garbage child
They call these among other names
She reads what books she can find
To help her learn
She dreams of a life off the streets
But until then
This is what she has