In all of the twinkling and shining
that the city had to offer me,
the only sparkling I could see was in the eyes next to me.

As we sat in the silence
and felt the air become dense with tension and condensation,
empty words and teeth clenches became frequent
as the innocent giggles and handholding wrapped themselves up
and rolled down the hills into the very lights that had become
blurred in your vision.

Although I could control my tear ducts -
pluck back my vocal chords -
I could not prevent the inevitable suffering
of the silence that choked us to a sensible conclusion:
you smothered me with attention and devotion
as I strangled your heart with my own bare hands.