Accident

You accidentally called me "beautiful" once, when we were parting

I knew it was a mistake--you'd simply forgotten who you were talking to

But I took it anyway, even though it belonged to someone else

And I wasn't entitled to it--I took it like the thief that I am,

Because I've never come by anyone's adoring gaze honestly

Only beauty begets that sort of knee-jerk, spontaneous admiration

The rest of us must work to earn it through words and deeds

Digging down and forcing all that "inner beauty" to the surface

So that it creates a facade of forged loveliness,

Like an illustration drawn on a plain brown wrapper

You accidentally called me "beautiful" once,

And like any good pickpocket, I took advantage of your carelessness

I snatched it up before you knew you'd left it there, 

Pretending it was meant for me, knowing that it never was

And like that necklace that I took when I was a girl, 

I take it from its secret hiding place and try it on, making believe I deserved it