still, i can’t abandon the desire to turn every breath into a work of art.

yet, my eyes will not see the beauty that waits behind a closed door. my heart won’t open it. the thought of it turns breathing into a nightmare.

so i leave it closed. the desire stays with me.

on my broken body

they cover the cracks

they keep me warm

bless the birds

who’ve found their home on me

they nest in my crown

and i am never lonely

bless the sun,

it caresses my mind’s garden

and darkness has learned

he has no home here

bless my broken body

for she is mending

and she is growing

she gives life to that around her

she entered the forest as war

there weren’t any words between us after that. the two yellow lines of the road slipped to white dashes before the headlights and i swore i relived every midnight i was desperate for lights and i couldn’t even begin to confess the fog clouding my head. it still clouds.

the highway was always kind. the backroads were a friend. downtown, a lover. now it seems i’m unable to reach them when i need the escape most. if i close my eyes i can still see the city lights twinkling in the distance, buildings growing larger and colorful and so much brighter.