I used to think strength Looked like marble columns Tall buildings Steel frames People who never shook when they spoke Now I think it might look more like survival Like small things Crossing impossible distances Without anyone noticing There are nights after the encore When the makeup won’t come off properly And my reflection looks tired in ways applause can’t fix Someone once called me “iconic” While I was secretly calculating How long people usually keep loving women like me So maybe I was never meant To burn bright for one short season Maybe I’m a monarch of winter Learning how to live longer Inside colder air Funny thing about fame People think it warms you But sometimes it just teaches you How to smile beautifully While disappearing carefully I still feel seventeen sometimes Still waiting for somebody To discover I’m improvising my way through all of this And maybe that’s alright Winter monarchs live longer Because they move differently Slower Closer to the earth Protecting energy for journeys that matter There’s wisdom in that I think Maybe I was never built For golden summers that vanish overnight Maybe I’m a monarch of winter Fragile looking from a distance But stubborn enough to survive the frost I don’t need forever Just enough time To mean something honestly Still flying Just slower now
