It's shadow eyes,
And screen lit nights
for these kids

The days begin
Or end at
2, 3, 4 AM
sleeping hours traded
like pokemon cards
between classes

Yielding binders like shields,
hair behind ears,
backs bent with words
on too many pages
with too many pen
-stained, sore, sleeping
hands

and behind hands,
into ears
go myths of 5.0 GPAs
and Ivy bound
classmates
go wishes and visions
and high school reunions
go what is keeping them
keeping

their bathroom mirrors
don’t see much skin
instead dry erase markers
backs of text books
and eyes

that

are

begging

to

win