Do I Cry My Eyes to Sleep?

(from Brainstorms)

“Do I cry my eyes to sleep?”
asked the boy of himself.
And something in the question
pointed at the girl.

But how can this boy know
the chaos behind
the silky locks
and flirty frocks,
the picture-perfect picket fences of her smile.

“Do I cry my eyes to sleep?”
he asked.
From pain that feels
undeserving
when she compares it
to what could be.

“Do I cry my eyes to sleep?”
he asked.
Not from fright
or to escape the light
but wondering whether
she is worthy or not,
worthy of her lot,
because it seems
like someone forgot
to share it.

And she doesn’t know how to care
in a way that makes a real difference.
In a way that will make the little boy turn back
to hand her a tissue
and tell her that it’s okay to cry.