Under the Desk

in a college dorm room
she hides
under the desk
crying her eyes out
while biting her hand
 
nobody sees her
nobody hears her sobs
nobody comforts her
nobody guesses the girl laughing in the hall is bawling now
 
two hours later
she sits in class
body there, perfectly poised
makeup covers all traces of tears
nobody knows her pain
 
now nobody yells at her to stop crying
nobody tells her to grow up
nobody says, “Act like a young lady!”
nobody calls her crybaby
 
but bottling it up
 
is killing her