I’m beginning to notice
how lonely I've been lately

Every breath is a steady unassurance
Dismissive,
Wildly accusatory

Summer left--
And with it,
Sunken splotches on my face
Freckles the color of tree bark.
Golden hue on the backs of my legs and tops of my shoulders,
An oil canvas gathering depth

But fall is here,
life transitions away from the heat
Even the Earth tilts away, shielding its skin

My body touches the ground and feels an echo
As if emptiness could speak

As if depression was cognizant enough to stir the grasses and whisper to me
Encouraging the deep draw inward into hollow vastness
Peeling away the fibers and stripping me down
Pointing up into the infinite blackness and saying,

Stay there.