you didn't hear me
when i told you
to be fair

you didn't hear me
when i told you
i was scared

you didn't hear me
when i told you
you don't own me

but you heard me
when i told you
not to care.

there wasn't any reason
you had to say goodbye
except to get away from me
yet, you felt the need to lie

you had nowhere else to be
you had nowhere else to go
but you got away from me
you should've yesterday ago

you're sitting on the bathroom floor
head in your arms
tears dripping off your face
and i don't know what to do
i reach out
smile
touch your arm
you look up
smiling just a little
eyes wet
"hey," i say. "you okay?"
your arm comes up
swipes across your face
"y-yeah."
and you're getting up
holding on to me for support
not crying anymore
and i don't know what to do
do i say something?
comfort you?
just smile?
i settle for
taking you in my arms
and holding you there
with me
till the end of time

i'm not crying,
not anymore,
and i'm going to stay that way

you can't make me cry,
not without my consent,
not when i can stay brave

i don't need your help,
i don't need your pity,
i don't need anything from you

not if you've made me cry,
not if you've made me shy,
not if you've made my clear sky gray.

the roses are burning,
they shout
the roses are burning

the roses are burning,
the fire is spreading,
they shout
the fire is spreading

the roses are burning,
the fire is spreading,
the animals fleeing,
they shout
the animals fleeing

the roses are burning,
the fire is spreading,
the animals fleeing,
the people are dying,
they shout
the people are dying

and the fire
is finally put out

i know you think of me
when you make a bad joke
and you hear my groan
my chuckle
quiet
in the back of your head
so quiet
did you even hear it?
you tell yourself it was real,
that you really heard it,
but we both know
that's a lie.
don't we?

i shot him
and snow came out of the open wound
dribbling
falling
melting
i shot him
no blood
just snow
clean
cold
white
i shot him
he did not scream
he did not cry
he looked at the wound
and said
that he did not want to see me die
i shot him
he did not hurt
he did not die
did i really shoot him?

stay,
i think
as they all say their goodbyes
stay,
i think
saying it would be unwise
stay,
i say
and then want to vaporize
in a room full of people,
you're the one i recognize
stay,
you don't
and a part of me dies

winterteeth

like the hail coming down from the heavens

winterteeth

like the dread when the fire goes out

winterteeth

like the sun going down before seven

winterteeth

like the pain you could not go without.

some are wicked

heartache, claws, shot in the back

some are just a soul

translucent, silent, empty sorrow

some are kissed

eyes shut, candles, relief

a poet dies

heartache

silent

empty relief