Perhaps I lie awake for all of those eternally sleeping.

I hope you don't mind--
I softened the ends of your ribcage
so that it won't wound us so bad
when I touch you

muses hide in plain sight
they are butterflies
sidewalks
criminals
strawberries
couples
death
romance
I have been considering
the simple possibility
that I may be my own muse

for most things
that I can quantifiably say exist
because of my five senses
are all defined
by me
anyway, once I am gone
they will be my muses no longer

I've always been told I can't run from my problems
but why can't I drive down the coast,
boardwalking and hanging ten
smiling at hippies dressed in henna
why can't I ascend the mountains
reaching into infinity with palms wide open  
I could hop into Seattle,
feel new rain on my face
kissing strangers reflected in the ***** puddles
or maybe flow with rivers til I found a bear's den
they tell me I can't run
so I won't
I'll spring
leap
slide
crawl
I'll tiptoe over the line

Lost,
as we are, with no rhyme or reason
Lost is a cliche thing that we all experience
but I feel it especially when I wake up

Sad,
as we are, with no rhyme or reason
Sad is a cliche thing that we all experience
but I feel it especially when I wake up

I silently sit in malls and on benches provided
by who?
I claim they are mine either way
my benches allow me to partake in the human experience
I feel it especially when I'm sleepy
I lose myself in a world of separate lives and minds and thoughts
I realize, too late, that I am staring at someone who is staring back at me
I feel it especially when I'm weeping