Woman Alone at the Bus Stop

you could see it in the
curve of her shoulders, the
slump of her back.
you could see it in
her eyes
a hint of her former confidence

self-assurance
was easy
in her teens, and even
through those first years
after college
"Anything is Possible"
she said out loud, and even
believed herself
"The World is My Oyster"
and other clichés

but the years have
weighed on her shoulders, and
dimmed the gleam once
omnipresent, always
surprising everyone who
looked in her eyes.

now, for parties,
job interviews, and most
grocery store runs
she puts on a
standing-tall-smile

which masks the pain just below
a confident façade that gets
chipped away as she daydreams
in the anonymity of a city bus stop