i never thought i'd pray
but you got me on my knees.
staring at the sky in
the middle of the night,
freezing cold and wondering
if scars fade in heaven.
each shot-glass
that held the promise of warmth
tasted like embalming fluid.
i asked myself if the
soul spread all the way
to my fingertips,
and was faced with the bitter
realization that nothing
is irreversible
and even death has become
as ephemeral as a bruise.