Reflections of a Working Girl

Home at last.
She stares at her toes
hollow-eyed.
As the warm water
bathes her hair and
trickles down her back,
cleansing her skin

She picks at the dirt on her body
In her body
In her mind.
How did it happen?
She ponders
What happened to innocence?
The little girl
playing games in the garden
with her brothers and sisters

She plays different games now
Innocence died
Along with the flowers
In the garden.

Maybe this will all change
One day
she’ll be happy
Her body will be her own
And her mind will be free

But for now
She counts up the fruits of her labour
Takes off her make up and
Crawls into bed
Still feeling just a little bit dirty