I feel like
I say it with
every word
and it tastes stale
on my tongue,
it sits at my doorstep
hanging from the handrails,
scratches at the window pane
keeping me up at night
despite my weary lids,
it lays in the empty space
next to me
weighing like a stone,
permeates my walls
telling me over
and over
a single word

Alone