“It’s all yours,” she said,
her heart torn from her sleeve
and shoved into his hands.
He gave it a gentle squeeze and
she shut her
eyes.
As her breath escaped her pursed lips,
eyelids still sealed,
she whispered
“Don’t kill me.”
If you catch your breath,
your lungs will collapse
and rebuild to be less sturdy,
The air you breathe is dirty,
A toxin to the chest,
Poison in your body helps
your blood to travel faster,
Your hearts the humble master
of your brain’s survival quest,
Your eyes get bloodshot red,
The clots protest along your veins,
An instant heart attack
To stop the air flow to your brain,
So, don’t breathe
Align your toes to match her shadows
Sway your hips with her curvy waist
Haven’t you heard, Satan is a widow?
She chewed him up because she hated the taste
So tempt not her temper and bat not an eye
Dance her dance to the melodic breeze
Step by step to the tune, ending nigh
When she’ll swallow you whole with an arrogant ease
It was kismet
the way the grey kissed the sky
Flush with the tears from the gods up high
The mist squeezed eagerly from the pregnant clouds
rogue drops hitchhiking on the coat tails of the wind
along the bend of the mountain tops
mist turned to sleet and fell at the feet of the
royal oaks the lined the richest banks of the
loneliest rivers
A quiver of Zeus’s breath sent a fresh gust
of scented earth shooting across the face of the planet
As the clouds slept along the edge of the heavens
peace rained heavily amongst the soil
Mama told me to go outside
and shut the door real good
so that I could play as loud as
I wanted,
but I knew she just didn’t want me
to see daddy take his hands
to her again;
make her eyes racooned again;
make his voice bark loud again;
because she keeps giving
herself bad medicine
with that needle when
he leaves to
see his lady friend.
“I don’t hear you playing,”
she yelled before slamming
the window
shut
and chucking the vase, or picture
frame, or whatever was near,
at daddy’s head;
Something she’ll replace while she’s
wearing sunglasses
in the supermarket next time
we go out to get daddy’s favourite
I’m sorry foods.
I dig my hands into the cool mud and
pretend its quick sand.
“Pull me under,” I scream
so mama knows I’m playing
and not
listening
to her cries and daddy’s booming
voice.
“Pull me under, quick.”
“Stay off the grid,”
he warned.
“They’ll come looking for you,
crazy and careless.”
His fragile fingers trembled
while his warning rang with strength.
I kissed his forehead.
“Goodnight grandpa,”
I whispered as I slipped away from his bed
and out of the open door.
He sighed.
Just wait
Don’t wait
Listen
Don’t listen
He’s changed
He really hasn’t and you know it
Everyone deserves a second chance
Its his ninth
He didn’t mean it
He swore he did
He kissed my cheek
After he struck it
He holds my heart
He breaks your soul
If I leave he’ll kill me
If you stay you’ll die
He’s my world
He’s your problems
I can’t go
You can’t stay
Help
Help
He’ll find me
I’ve got you
I’m scared and I’m weak
You’re brave and you’re strong
I’m not ready
This isn’t living
But–
Just go
I love him
Just go
I’ll miss him
Just go
I need him
Just go
I can’t
Go
I can’t
Please, go
I’m sorry
Oh, no
Its okay, I forgive him
….
This time will be different
….
Hello?
