Original Poem
Little girl, pretty girl It’ll get better before it gets worse He’ll pull you in and tell you lies Until your heart hurts Little girl, pretty girl You’ll pray to keep him in an empty church pew That altar’s wet with your your tears When you pray that God sees your fears While he’s slowly, slowly, fades away Till you are too far out of reach That’s something love can’t teach He says I never meant to hurt you And you ask “What the hell did I do?” It’s all bullshit Always has been All because you tried to love him So carry on pretty girl, It didn’t matter anyway Turn your eyes from his gaze And when the midnight reminds you Of his open arms Just look up And share your tears with the stars Copy strength, you’re okay. I didn’t see him today. Breathe a little Hope a little Turn around His eyes are brown. Everytime I start again Forgive you and give up my pain Here we are Back at the start One glance and we start to fake Like 3am in the back of your truck, It never was It never was Like one more minute, dad I love him oh It never was And I wonder how do I forget something like this How starlit magic nights And slowly dying light Turned into endless fights So carry on pretty girl, It didn’t matter anyway Open your heart to the break of day And when the midnight reminds you Of his open arms Just look up And share your tears with the stars Copy strength, you’re okay. I didn’t see you today. Breathe a little Hope a little Turn around Your eyes are brown. You’re a Ghost in the shadows Of my falling apart Every inch of me breaking making my scars The whole world lost something Beau-ti-ful Not the love that you shared But the joy in your heart
Translation (English)
Young girl, beautiful girl
Things will get better before they get worse
He'll pull you in and tell you lies
Until your heart aches
Young girl, beautiful girl
You'll pray to keep him in an empty church pew
The altar is wet with your tears
When you pray that God sees your fears
While he slowly, slowly, fades away
Till you are too far out of reach
That's something love can't teach
He says I never meant to hurt you
And you ask "What did I do wrong?"
It's all nonsense
Always has been
All because you tried to love him
So carry on, beautiful girl,
It didn't matter anyway
Turn your eyes from his gaze
And when the midnight reminds you
Of his open arms
Just look up
And share your tears with the stars
Gather strength, you're okay.
I didn't see him today.
Breathe a little
Hope a little
Turn around
His eyes are brown.
Every time I start again
Forgive you and give up my pain
Here we are
Back at the start
One glance and we start to pretend
Like 3am in the back of your truck,
It never was
It never was
Like one more minute,
Dad, I love him, oh
It never was
And I wonder how do I forget
Something like this
How starlit magic nights
And slowly dying light
Turned into endless fights
So carry on, beautiful girl,
It didn't matter anyway
Open your heart to the break of day
And when the midnight reminds you
Of his open arms
Just look up
And share your tears with the stars
Gather strength, you're okay.
I didn't see you today.
Breathe a little
Hope a little
Turn around
Your eyes are brown.
You're a ghost in the shadows
Of my falling apart
Every inch of me breaking
Making my scars
The whole world lost something
Beautiful
Not the love that you shared
But the joy in your heart
About the Poet
Unknown (Contemporary)
The poet is unknown and the piece appears to be contemporary, reflecting modern themes of love and heartbreak.
Historical Context
- Literary Form
- Free verse
- When Written
- Contemporary
- Background
- The poem explores themes of love, heartbreak, and personal growth. It reflects the emotional journey of a young girl dealing with the complexities of love and the pain of a broken relationship.
Detailed Explanation
This poem is an emotional exploration of a young girl's experience with love and heartbreak. It begins by addressing the girl, acknowledging her beauty and innocence while warning her of the pain that comes with love. The poem describes her emotional turmoil as she prays in an empty church, hoping for divine intervention in her troubled relationship. The repeated imagery of tears and the stars suggests a sense of loneliness and longing for something greater. The poem captures the cycle of hope and disappointment, as the girl tries to move on from a relationship that was never truly fulfilling. The recurring motif of 'midnight' and 'stars' symbolizes moments of reflection and the search for solace in the universe. The poem ultimately conveys a message of resilience and self-discovery, encouraging the girl to find strength within herself and to let go of the past. The use of free verse allows for a raw and honest expression of emotions, making the poem relatable to anyone who has experienced the complexities of love and loss.
Themes
Literary Devices
Word Dictionary
| Word | Meaning | Translation | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| altar | a raised place in a church | a special table for religious ceremonies | awl-tur |
| pew | a long bench in a church | a long seat in a church | pyoo |
| bullshit | nonsense | silly or untrue talk | bool-shit |
| gaze | look | a long look | gayz |
| starlit | lit by stars | brightened by stars | stahr-lit |
| midnight | 12 o'clock at night | the middle of the night, 12 AM | mid-nahyt |
| scars | marks left by wounds | marks left from healing | skahrz |
| fades | disappears slowly | slowly goes away | faydz |
| forgive | pardon | to let go of anger | fur-giv |
| endless | without end | going on forever | end-lis |
| joy | happiness | a feeling of great happiness | joi |
| strength | power | being strong | strengkth |
| ghost | spirit | an invisible spirit | gohst |
| beautiful | very pretty | very nice to look at | byoo-tuh-ful |
| breathe | inhale and exhale | to take in air | breeth |
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