"if you've ever
stepped out into
the sunlight
& felt it trying to
bring you to
life
& you sensed the
kiss of it on the
edge of your shoulder,
yet still did not
react

you've lived a similar pain as I

"& if you close your eyes
does it always
seem like
nothing's changed at all"
if you've ever felt
your organs writhe in pain
with every day that follows
a hard night
& swim right back to
the bottle again

you've been dealt a similar hand as I

& if you've ever loved
so intensely
to see that love built
its own pyre
& lit itself ablaze;

leaving
you with the
ashes


you might not have survived either