that sad sweet longing
for something larger than
our fragile souls.

my heart weighs heavy inside
my chest. full of salt
and tears.

leaving home seemed so easy
yet now nothing is clear
enough to know
what i will miss most.

the wind in the palms or the
sun on my cheeks.

i was never one to stay close to the nest.
my dreams always had a tinge of the
exotic and the scent of far-away places.

i've known too many nights where i've
dreaded coming home to not know
that this is exactly what i need.

freedom has come, not on the wings of a born-again eagle
but rather in the silent shadows and icy
winds of change.

because some people's love burns
like fire and hurts too much
to bear for long

i've sustained fourth degree burns
so far beyond the surface of my skin
that i will bear wounds that never fully heal.

the iron seeds from her throat have
taken hold in my heart and
will forever hold it in their grip.

some memories deserve to be remembered
while others serve only to be locked up
and buried deep within a chest bound by fragile bones and bitterness.

my heart hurts too much
to stay awake much longer.
wake me up when the pain has passed.

i've woven straw into gold for much too long.