The Broken Doll

Narrow ruled paper

When darkness suffocates, they leave The broken doll sits alone, her face frozen, twisted into the

Wide, soulless grin they’ve created A shadow of who she used to be

In the black eternity A tear crawls down her face and Slips into her open mouth

Through her teeth She doesn't feel it

Sits defenseless as a sea of prying eyes silently watches her They sting her with their gaze

The broken doll, back bent, thin arms swinging to an endless rhythm

Beat her with their cruel judgment Guilty until proven innocent

They mold her into the perfect doll she once was Always happy, always loved

But inside, something’s wrong She’s broken now, tainted They don’t love her anymore

The broken girl, back bent, arms swinging to an endless rhythm Engulfed in shadow Waits for the light to come

I’m a 12-year-old from Parkland, Florida, and I love art! My discovery of art happened at three years old, when I was introduced to a musical theater and fine art program. Combining both acting and drawing allows me to open my heart and use my senses to express myself in a way I can’t with words. My urge to write began after I attended a music retreat at eight years old. Joining a group of talented teens who wrote and created their own music impacted me greatly and led to the release of my original song series, “Turn on the Light.” The first song, “Shadows on the Wall,” discusses fear and the realization that we can overcome it by finding the light within ourselves. It was closely followed by “The Last Kid on Earth,” which is about the feeling of being different and suggests that, since we are all unique anyway, we all be unique together. The last song in the series–Voices–follows the journey of rejecting the judging and self-deprecating voices in our heads and finding the one that says “I am good enough.” All three songs were released on major music streaming platforms and dedicated to kids and teens who struggle with their emotions. I truly saw the power of my writing when a young girl from South Carolina reached out to tell me that “Shadows on the Wall” helped her with her fear and anger during her parents’ divorce. When I turned ten in the COVID-19 lockdown, I was introduced to the world of Procreate and digital art, which added illustration to my toolkit. Art of all types became an inseparable part of me. Whether creating on stage, in a studio, on a canvas, in a notebook, with an instrument, or on my iPad, I want to make art that reflects me and can inspire others.

My name is Eden Gross, and art is my true safe haven.