we learned how to tread water
in the heart of the city
- swimming through the ashes
of other people's days
other people's ways

we learned how to melt
the last of the scarlet hours
inside a coffee cup
stirring them in like a secret spice

we learned to always water our plants
even that cactus
that doesn't need much watering at all
forever hoping for it to bloom

we learned never to ask questions
learned to paint over our walls
again and again