No, I'm here.*

          That's not what I want to hear,
          what if it's never enough for me?

Caught in a web made of thread spun from criticism and regret,
arachnids leisurely devouring skin from exposed bone,
a life made from those who have chided every step,
no escaping the entanglement,
no shelter from the ones who are meant to render love,
instead only malice is displayed over actions they refuse to forget.

Searching hopelessly for love on abandoned webs,
finding only others broken who were lost in translation,
the foul scent of decaying bodies ripped apart,
giving their lives to those who broke them down,
rotting skeletons of memories shattered on cobwebs undusted,
coming alive and putting faith in others broken who can be trusted.

She sees me as a threat,
I can't stop smiling.

I want to go home
but today home walked away.

Another poet's words slammed into our faces,
crushing our bones with truths held like fire,
a burn on the hand but worth every sting,
running in circles from thoughts we can't speak of,
knowing what the other is feeling,
why can't I hold you when inside you're weeping?

We connect, you can't deny it,
arms brushing one against the other,
heat surging rebuilding shattered ribs,
sewing my lungs back in,
allowing me to breathe again.

Reverberating words from raw poetry in our heads,
I  can see it in your face, the relevance they had,
you lie falling next to me, I know they're still there,
why are you letting her get you down when you know i'm right here?

Dreams overtake you, dead asleep in the night,
the darkness can't consume all of your light,
you're safe with me as we loll asleep,
my fingers laced in your hair to wake you from dreaming.

Don't leave me now,
your scent lingers in the air,
i'll stay cuddled in this blanket forever,
i'll pretend that you're there.

The echo of your words keeps me warm in my slumber,
like the poems we silently cried together over.

I need 10,000 tomorrows
to make up for wasted yesterdays.

You told me ghosts are make-believe,
but how can you dismiss this feeling of emptiness,
a hollowness that grates itself against my bones,
sending surges of unspoken pain through every limb,
rupturing the veins that keep me alive,
you have left and now i'm deprived.

The ghost of you remains in my mind,
your scent lingers in the air wherever I go,
i'm still finding your hair laced carefully across pillowcases,
your shirt lies on my cold, hard floor,
my arms ache with longing,
yet you say ghosts don't exist,
and I have lost my sense of belonging.