They gasp
As she turns
Her head from side
To side
To show her scars
And they marvel
At the ruined beauty
And pledge more support.
She smiles
Like a woman
Daring to hope again
For the first time.
They applaud her bravery
So she blushes.

Once show and tell is done
Her boss thanks her
And she goes home
To her modest flat
And washes off the make-up
So the scars the crowd loves
Flow down the sink
And her real ones show.
'Cause the real ones
Were never pretty enough
To earn pity.