the worst that could happen?!

a meteor could hit the earth
at this very moment
and stop me dead in my tracks

speaking of tracks
two trains could collide
right now and cause
mass destruction

really, it's just a terribly inconvenient time
i couldn't possibly-

the black plague,
the bird flu,
terrorists,
poltergeists!

so there really is no reason for me to
go over there and interrupt him
with so many dangers lurking about-

nausea
heart burn
indigestion
upset stomach

and oh, god strike me
dead if i must even imagine
what else!

the four horsemen
of the apocalypse
could decide to
come upon us right now,

and you want me
to go up to him and
say hello?!
honestly, you really must
get your priorities in order.

(but the very worst that could happen?
he could say no.)

an expulsion
of sadness

an admission

that maybe
just maybe

everything
is not as
okay
as i said
it was

maybe
just maybe

it is not
okay
at all

there once was a girl
who wanted to fly
so she put on
her prettiest white dress
a left her mother a note
to say
that she loved her and that today
she was finally going to fly away
(salt water blurred the ink
into a bit unreadable mess
but it's the thought
that counts)

she could have taken the
subway
but the sky was such a
******* beautiful
shade of blue
(what an
absolutely
positively
wonderful
day to fly
she thought)
so she soaked it all in
and dreamed
of the red running out
(mother would be
so very unhappy
about her
pretty white dress)
as she said a
few final farewells
to the city
that never knew her name

the traffic was loud
but her thoughts were louder
and with each flight of steps
she rose
above the chatter
finally
finally finally
she saw the door
the entrance to freedom
to the roof
(the exit)

they tried to stop her
with their loud megaphones
(still her thoughts were louder)
she heard from below
the sounds of wails and moans
but she was above it all
the skyline was before her
the possibilities
that ******* beautiful
shade of blue
held for her
so tempting
and then
with eyes closed
she flew
(fell)

the rush
freedom
the wait
agony
she wanted
nothing more
than she and
the pavement
to collide

two seconds later
as the engines cried
without bang
nor whimper
the little girl
died

(oh, how her mother cried
over that pretty red dress)

when one lives
so deliberately
so freely
how difficult
must it be
to die?