my eyes refuse to touch the ground
to scrape around and seek truth
when reason is all i have and all i’ll ever need
words take my hand and scrape them across the concrete
and my blood smears the earth, shaming the sun and the rain and the stars
i can only stand and watch the world move around me
because it seems like that’s all the world wants to do
it doesn’t matter if i’m left behind in the cloud of dust that suffocates my lungs and stings my eyes
i am here to merely watch the events transpire
and condensate into little dewdrops that fog up the glass and roll down the crisp blades of grass
without feeling i shall stand amongst my brethren the stars
cooly and critically watching over those who came to be my friends and family by name or by calling
lamenting and laughing at what is mine yet isn’t

the beach with its soft white sand
cushioned our falls
as we fell to the earth
the ocean licking at our feet

she would set in her stonewall face
glistening eyes staring at the vastness
and she would chirr her mouth
as slick mechanical words glided out

(it’s not that I do not believe in Love
it’s that Love does not exist)

and as the last syllable fell from her lips
she would cry
cry until the stars tumbled into their graves
heavy with sadness

and we gazed at the stars
and we gazed at each other
at eyes
cheeks

lips
it didn’t matter where we were
because we were here
and here is all that exists

the morning air
thick with water
drowns my lungs

the sun rises
so so slowly
it never comes

the day moves
like light does
was it real

i can not
stand any more
let me lie

sighs trickle down
my throat i
close my eyes

Ethan looked at his hands. Bloody, worn, tired. His hands told the story of his life. He couldn’t remember a time when they used to be soft and delicate, smooth and innocent. Hard labor in mines to feed his sister, if not his self, tore away his skin, toughening them, making them rugged and rough to the touch. Ethan remembered those days at the very least. He remembered coming home to the field, seeing his dear Julie sitting on the ground, delicate and soft hands supporting her up from the back and looking up to the twilight sky, smiling gently and breathing lightly. He remembered always coming home utterly tired without any energy, hands torn and tired. He remembered seeing Julie’s warm smile over him, and, without words, reassuring him that tomorrow would bring a brighter day. She’d put her warm hands on his shoulder and kiss him on the forehead. Ethan remembered always smiling back at her, believing her, knowing that tomorrow was going to be a better day.

He sighed. Those were brighter days.