she’s smiling but
her mouth is frozen that way
after years of misconception
and one swift blow
a knife to the throat

i keep counting my blessings
but they don’t seem to add up

the bell always rings
at the worst moment
when you’ve finally found
the last piece of your courage,
the missing puzzle
pieces of your smile fall in line
then scatter as the brass hum
takes him and his untouched pencil
straight out the door

i don’t like people anymore
they make me think too much
and smile when i don’t want to
i’d rather waste away alone
with a cup of coffee and
some overrated novel.

he forgot the bitter cold
that came after the sun
he forgot we lived in a desert