remember when
there was not

as much

maybe you don’t
but there was

a time

when there was
not as much

and much didn’t
mean as much

as it does today

haves and have nots
were steps away

from each other
and played

together and
didn’t care

maybe you don’t
but I remember

we are guarded
this time

danger is invisible
free riding human skin

any human skin

no color
no age
no ***
no origin

predicts

we don’t even
know ourselves

will I hurt you
will you hurt me

so we are instructed
to remain at a

safe distance

but even at this
distance

we can exchange
smiles of light

saying it isn’t
really that I

don’t trust you
I am just staying safe

wild rays heat

the children
of the poor

we were
the same

so we did not
know poor

we played
in the rain

jumping in
puddles

not knowing
dirt

was the devil
and cleanliness

was god

we all enjoyed
the same sun

and felt the
same warmth

on our skin

I walked home.  I did not know.  where I was.  I had so many homes.

I was never the same.  I was never one.  divided into space.  and time.  I was a cat in a box.  don’t ask me questions.  about life and death.  about existence.  I won’t answer.

I am not your god.  you are not my devil.

she was the word.  the first word I heard.  and I asked her.  
do you feel my pain?  do you love me?  I really didn’t know.

we stand.  back to back.  walk a few paces.  in opposite.  directions.  we turn.  our words.  are bullets.  passing each other.  we both live.  nobody wins.

I am not your dog.  you are not my *****.