These words scrawled hastily upon my soul

Embedded in the empty spaces

Where you used to be

I’ve heard it in the movies

A perfect B flat

I wonder if that is how it sounded when you left

It lingers, like mist on pines.

Line straight like a sunset

Down and out for the night

How long is your night?

How dark?

Where there are no shadows

Maybe you can cast a light?

I’ve gotten good at making up metaphors

I’ve gotten good at stretching the truth out of proportion

And all these words are sweet, meaningless,

You cannot trust

Anything my tongue touches.

I am the forest fire

And I am the fire

And the forest

And I am a witness watching it all.

proud.

be proud of me

i ache to hear words

like this.

and you say it.

but i cannot hear it.

for the words are empty

like my ribs

hold cobwebs

the bottom of my heart

a stone.

you lie.

you say it again.

you lie.

i know so

because you couldn’t.

you wouldn’t!

you lie!

i know.

i may not know much

but i know this.

you lie, you lie.

yet

i am the one lying

to myself.

i tried, i did.

i tried but couldn’t

i’m running so fast

i almost did but

couldn’t.

i couldn’t keep up

i tried,

i did.

but couldn’t.