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At night when I can't sleep
there is a place only I can go an empty town in my mind a whisper in a seashell of my hometown I walk the streets walk through time everything I have ever lost is there waiting for me a timeline of me a map of myself she is there waiting for me to take her home to here and now sitting on the curb with her scraped knees crooked glasses swallowing her face she looks up at me with such hope holds out her hand we walk like this hand in hand she reminds me all the things I forget to remember and we both keep pretending I might let her leave this place one day when it is safe so she doesn't have to be so alone we sit on a bench near the sea I try to explain to her how its better here that where I am isn't a place she should be she looks at me through her fingerprint smudged glasses fiddles with the scab on her knee and says but you keep coming back here less and less one day you are going to forget that I am still here you are going to forget that there is always another tomorrow until there isn't I think but don't say I am so sad because she knows that I know I can never bring her home that the world will crush her we walk past the old houses house one and house two we can see the ghosts peeking out little girls just like her she squeezes her eyes tight blows out an invisible birthday candle the ghosts disappear I ask her where they go when she makes a wish you know, back in my head she says the same place you keep me we are back near the waterfront she loves the ocean I could drown here she says with a sigh I nod but you won't I say the sun is starting to set but it won't because it is always the day here I don't want her to be in the dark alone she is afraid of the dark she read a book on constellations told me to give her just one night one night with me one night in the world but I couldn't she hands me a crushed dandelion all warm and wilted from her pocket I saved this for you she says I don't want you to forget how pretty dandelions are when I reach out to take it she grabs my hand and doesn't let go I don't want to stay here anymore I can't she says I try to pull away but it is too late she unzips me like a coat and climbs inside I blink and here we are in front of the computer it is 4:51 am Did you write it all down? yes I missed you I know welcome home
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AuthorMichelle Tinklepaugh Archives
June 2023
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