let us speak
of the way death
splinters through a life
before ripping it away.
let us mourn
and kneel on dirt before
the gravestone—
death sows the seeds
of the violets that bloom.
let us hollow
out our chests, reach
our hands through
holes in the lungs,
hoping to grasp air
and receiving nothing.
let us weep
as we clutch our
fingers over wounds,
let the blood soak them
like sunlight. it is all
we have left.

ten days i will spend
asking for forgiveness
praying for redemption
getting down upon my bones
and whimpering at your feet.

please
kick me while i'm down.
to feel the snap of your toe
against my ribcage
is better than nothing at all.

She counts her shells

her feet sand ribbed
her toes ricely white
her hair windy vagabond
her eyes low tide sea.

She gives me back my years.

Through tears
I count eternity.

I’m gonna’ stop worrying about getting hurt
It’s just a part of life
I’m gonna’ stop trying to be happy
I’m gonna’ get through it, because
A human is what I want to be

It’s alright if you get mad at me sometimes
It’s just a part of love
I’m gonna’ take it if it’s my fault
And even if it isn’t
I want to make it all work out

You can get hurt all day long if you let it
You can pretend it never happened if you forget it
Sometimes we think it’s better to find someone new
But I’m not going to run away from the feelings I have for you

I wonder if we were just full of bad luck
It’s just a part of losing
I’m not going to assume you were wrong
And even if you were
I know that it’s in my life that you belong

You know me now
I may have missed my chance
I may have hurt your pride
But I’m not afraid anymore
And if you could look at me
You’d see my heart by your side

You can get hurt all day long if you let it
You can pretend it never happened if you forget it
Sometimes we think it’s better to find someone new
But I’m not going to run away from the feelings I have for you

I packed your red t-shirt away;
The last bit I kept of you.

Letting go is hard...
But trying to forget is harder.

I clung to that shirt for months.
It smelled of your skin.

But, when I wore it recently,
It felt wrong.

I was weighed down.
You... weighed me down.

I lifted your heavy t-shirt off my shoulders...
To finally feel free.

My candle burns at both ends;
  It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
  It gives a lovely light!