By Misti Velvet Rainwater
Date: 5 May 1998

pretense is a fence

he's a hero he saved me
  from being myself
he muted the bright chaos
  toned down the terror
    spoke for me
so that my words would
  make sense
pretense is a fence
   I smash it down
he dressed me up
  corrected my walk
taught me how
 to be classy
and co-dependent
 I let him take over
  I had no defense
pretense is a fence
 I smash it down
when he abandoned me
 for a girl
with real potential
 I fell to pieces
and reconstructed myself
  now I'm back to me
    me
with my weird beauty
  and wild gypsy
      dreams
  me with my brave
   imperfect smile
and Salvation Army clothes
  me with my
trashy mouth
 and fierce independence
pretense is a fence
  I smash
    it
   down