When gentle, expressive croons dance through my ears,
I allow my mind to wander.

You have very neat handwriting for a man who never wears his glasses.
Your fingertips are softer than mine,
And your lips are never chapped.
The smell of smoke makes you feel alienated,
But your grandfather’s lighter is your most prized heirloom.

You told me that you liked to bathe in tubs of ice,
After you saw me
Because if you still felt my name in your limbs,
You weren’t truly clean.

When you looked at me kneeling on your kitchen floor,
It was like you swallowed gun power
Then exploded like those cheap fireworks.

Because, our mouths were always pressed together
I forgot I had my own.
I never had many opportunities to tell you how much I love you.

I pause the music.
I am now cloaked in silence
And 555 people have died.