my blood-shot eyes
send salty waves
rushing down my
newly-reddened cheeks.
they are enough
to fill my entire
body with
something other
than emptiness.
but somehow,
this is much worse;
a feeling of
never-ending dread
and ravishing sorrow.
the flowers you have
planted in the
emptiest parts of me
are now wilting,
each individual petal
falling endlessly
to the ground,
only to burn
and turn into ash
once again.

(alm)