I swirl the stress, turn
pirouette in my veins.
It is fuel for my fire.
I breathe in, out.
shallow,
yet crisp
the smell of burning
leaves on a brisk
autumn day.


I am the flame,
won't you put
me out?

rebuilding myself with
feathers and paper scraps
the glue, flimsy, but it
needn't be stronger, for
it is my shell; Crack, bleed
and I will emerge reborn
a butterfly once more
this isn't my tomb, no
It is my metamorphosis.

the alcohol lined up with
stacked pill bottles, sobbing
a dark cloud lays upon me
your knock on the door, snap
back to the moment, wipe away
and answer with a smile, you
were silly and carefree, for a
moment my heavy heart lifted
and your laughter saved my life.

tick tock tick tock
time runs forward
miasma in my brain
a spark that keeps
lighting, lightning
in my limbs
been alight so long
don't know what it's like
not to burn

fingernails to rock
crawling up this mountain,
sweat fills the air, my cheeks
flushed, embarrassed of how
much effort it takes me to
deal with this burden but it's
okay, as long as I make it
one more day. I will have won
the race against myself.

I know there's no such thing as forever.

Intimately I have it carved into my heart
flecks of scars line my soul, deep in my
veins. Yet I treasure every single moment,
every laugh, every smile I give you.

I could never give you enough, tiny paper
scraps I offer, and you take them so
delicately. You help me breathe when I
forget who I am. You bring me back to
Earth when I go to float away.

I know we're not eternal.
But it doesn't matter.

All I can promise you is this moment,
and it's all you can promise me back.
That's enough.

It was always enough.