my bones slowly rot
as if the second hand smoke
inhaled through my nostrils
stained my insides brown
and made them crumble.

I believed in the word "you"

I am nothing but a bag of unnecessary rocks slung over your shoulder. I am nothing but the wisps of smoke drifting from a cigarette, slowly fading as I travel in to the night. I am nothing but the cracks on a stranger's windshield after their hit and run- a flashback that will bring pain and guilt in to your shell. I am nothing but a hindrance, a fleeting thought, a horrid memory.

he pointed to my ribs
more importantly the space between them
and put his lips up to my ear
"you are n o t h i n g."

ink smudges stain
my callused
fingertips.

the reason why
I still open my eyes
is for the shock of the
               c o l o r s .

beautiful words weaved with the ugly
to form a
p o e m .