Pillars of salt
Stretched across
A navy blanket
Makes me start
To smile and reflect
On how just yesterday
I would feel alone
And without friends.
Then one day,
Out of nowhere
Appeared your boring avatar,
Revealing a world
Of limitless humor,
Wisdom, and fun,
And however silly this is,
When I look at that
Blanket of sand,
And catch myself smiling,
In your far away land,
I'll hope you're
Thinking of me.

Talk to me like
Minimum wage.
Three kids in different grades
happy to get sneakers on Christmas.
Two to a bed until puberty
hoping bus fare doesn’t go up.

Talk to me like
I’m sorry I can’t hear you
I’m scared that I’m pregnant and what my boyfriend will do
because I don’t want to marry him
but if you’re pregnant you keep it and you marry him.

Talk to me like
Can I help you?
I’ll trade you for some tuition money.

Talk to me like
Let me go check in the back
My brother’s in jail again
because he broke into our house to steal money
and he’s high again and it’s his fault
but it’s Dad’s fault for leaving.

Talk to me like
I’m sorry
I apologize
What can I do
Here’s a discount
Like she cheated
Like he’s dead
Like I’m you
in my shoes.

Old pub
Out in the suburb
Broken men
talk about way back then

Cigarette stained fingers
amber residue lingers
a record scratches
about way back when

I’m swaying
decaying
As night pools on
dawn

My lover grips my hips
Calloused fingertips
I lean in closer
“I just need some closure”

From afar I stand structurally sound,
No large gashes or permanent pinkish slashes,
But wind your way closer and peel back your eyes
The rust begins to show,
Climb inside I'm slowly eroding,
And collapsing.
Most feel it's better to partially admire
From behind a series of cement structures
Only glimpsing at my strength and stability.