“not all that glitters is gold”
they say
he smiles
gold or not, he wanted to have it
needed to have it

his mind splits in two
limbs too heavy to move
thoughts rushing and falling
but they don’t
translate

he determines his worth by his work
the best
being on top means
there’s so far
to fall

his body begging him to stop
he can’t
he lost control long ago
the bottle draws him in
with the bitter taste of oblivion

the red haze of anger
residing in his blood
if you play with fire
they say
you will get burned

always second best
never wanted never chosen
over the ones who could do better
the air is acrid
his face twisted

bodies tangled
skin against skin
neon lights
dopamine and oxytocin and
want