the truth chained itself and,
grimacing, he followed.
each star he eyed blew past,
one by one, and perched
themselves within him.
he picked, prodded, pleaded,
sleep smudging the night's corpse,
and optimism left him.

bit by bit, he read her heart
and lost it in translation.
her energy was effervescent,
and warm. inconsistent.
--
her energy was eclectic-- fierce,
and her words: silken, undisturbed
--
he lost himself in her songs,
the playlists of past hurts, wants, haves-
and happiness. rhapsodic
--
pain is a telegraph,
a tactile sensation that sounds off,
telling stories of past mistakes.

Heartbeat,
Heartbeat that went live when I cried into the world
Heartbeat that went up the first time I felt happiness
Heartbeat that went up the first time I saw my mother's smile
Heartbeat that goes up every time I am with my friends
Heartbeat that goes up every time I hear his voice
Heartbeat that now goes up with every scream in the world
Heartbeat that goes up every time an innocent soul is taken away
Heartbeat that shatters at every time I hear a girl's cry in the air
Crying for her life and mind taken away by devil's in human shapes
Heartbeat that screams every time inhumanity wins over love
Heartbeat that finally goes up with every hope
Heartbeat that still believes life is worth living
Heartbeat that cherishes life and happiness
Heartbeat that protects true friendship and soul connection
Heartbeat that I listen to, heartbeat hidden in my heart
Hearbeat that pours my soul's scream into lines
Heartbeat that guides my mind out of the darkest depths of despair
Heartbeat that will stop the day I'll leave this world
Heartbeat that will seal my journey
Heartbeat, heartbeat, heartbeat...