dragon’s flames

rubber bands and blank paper sheets

a pair of *****, red sneakers

black and white keys

thick, old books

crumpled paper

a box of paints

pencil shavings

shades of gray

stacks of cds

dog-eared magazines

ancient stuffed toys

newspapers from two months ago

ninja gear and beyblades

a box of keychains

picture-plastered walls

last week’s jeans

yesterday’s jacket

ballpens with no ink

worn out satin slippers

an overused waveboard

loose change and

illustration boards

all found in

my room

When kids pop more pills than balloons
at a fair, take more rips from bongs
than Beyblades, shake hands with *****
dollars and plastic bags, steal more money
than hearts, are in more mugshots than family
photos, **** more than war, sell more ****
than lemonade, read more billboards than books,
go through more girlfriends than socks in a week,
text more than they write, inject more ******
than flu vaccinations, drink more beer than fruit punch,
put their lips around more pipes than Popsicles,
and die more than live;
then we'll know we've failed them.

Your room is so empty
though filled with your things
It's tidy now-the dressing table
with your Gothic chains and rings.

An eerie silence hangs from the fan
Windows shut to a boy, doors opened to a man.

I sift through your beyblades
your video games and toy cars,
The Wii like a tombstone....
I remember frenzied hours.

No indoor football or
Tarzan swings from the shears,
No skateboards to trip on
No foam bullets to fear.

A ghostly silence floats
neath your cozy bed,
The pillows, unfluffed,
wait for your head.

The music system lies cold
dumb on the old rack
when I call your name....
Siri talks back.

A chilling silence looms over the TV stand
Windows shut to a boy, doors opened to a man.