grocery bag heart

I am holding my heart in a paper bag
a sad lunch sack
dripping blood

remember that plastic bag
floating around
in American Beauty?
we all thought it
was so profound 
it made us feel

I am holding my heart in a paper bag
a sad lunch sack dripping blood

it sucks
carrying around this bleeding heart
give me a day-glow lunchbox
with cartoon characters
give me a lunch ticket
for some day-old heated up chicken nuggets

you know what is more sad
then an empty plastic bag 
floating around?

an empty soul
an empty person
a dark heart
that looks away
from your bleeding heart
in a sad paper bag

It's all wrinkly and moist at the top
where I hold it
my hands are sweaty
like that fat kid at recess
trying to climb the ropes

he is looking away
a jock in gym shorts
he doesn't understand
the beauty of empty bags
or full bags
or bags held tightly
with sweaty hands

so you stand in an empty parking lot
with your bleeding heart in a wrinkled
paper bag
and that guy from American Beauty
hands you his profound
empty plastic bag
that was blowing in the wind
he even chases it down for you

because your heart is leaking through
and your are cupping it with your sweaty hand
he hands you the plastic bag
so it can hold your bloody heart
and you thank him

then you both stand in the parking lot
him with his video camera
you with your grocery bag heart