You remind me of the callus on my ankle.
The rough patch of skin
where the tongue of my running shoe
rubs against my skin
every mile
of every day.

You are there.
I can still see you.
I can definitely still feel you.
Where i once was soft,
I now am hard.
Others can still see you too.
They just have to really look.
But your pain isnt as sharp anymore.
Sure, you dont feel good
and if you really pick at it,
the pain returns
and I bleed.
But the daily motion
of every step
over
and over
and over again
no longer completely demands my full attention with its agony.
Where once each breath was a knife through my heart,
there is now only a a dull pain.
Only a slight hitch in my breathing
reminds me of the hole
you punctured in my lungs.

But this callus strengthens me-
protects me-
guards me.
Strengthens me against future pain.
Protects me from the one thing
that has weakened my body the most.
Guards me
by reminding me
to never be too vulnerable
to the grinding of my shoe against my ankle
or the grating of your leaving words
against my soul.

You don't focus on yourself enough
...
You got problems man
Deal with them
------------------------

I can see plenty
I've got a good view from down here
Trust me on this, I can see the cliffs

The waves are empty
Who else could find me way down there?
And if I fell who would care?

This world is empty
This world is nothing if not scared
Of losing those with nothing left

My feet are swinging
In time with the beat above thin air
Just to remind myself, just how little I care

Imagination is a tool but not for long
Eventually the weak become the strong
And we pick it back up as the weapon it
Becomes
Something more that what we said we want

The dreams become real as we march ahead
Time to justify when their dead again

They had to go...

The night is empty
But the music's all around my head
It's a good ways down, but **** it, I'm not scared

My feet are swinging
In time with the beat above thin air
Just to remind myself, just how little I care

Will a Phoenix doused in water reignite?
Should the Sun ever disturb the night?
As my eyes take their rest my mind takes flight
Then quickly plummets straight into blight
Straight into sorrow; reigniting my rage
And keeps me awake as if it were day
Awake to write my story/Awake to dwell on the last page
How dare I wallow over someone engaged?
Great Leviathan, Demon God of water and life
Lend me your strength as I overcome this strife
Baptize me in your waters and revitalize my sight
Clear away all the salt and callus to turn my scleras white
Drown the anger in my heart; cease its return!
**** the Phoenix, for its presence burns!
Drown the Sun so that the moon may take its turn
Allow my brain to rest so that I may have the capacity learn
How to fully move on…