He Cries
tears glisten like distant stars
unreachable galaxies
alone
in the quiet of space
dead planets remind him of his grandmother and
ex-girlfriends
he cries for them
and for a dachshund that used to pee on the floor
excited to see him
days pass as if they were murder trials
long
meticulous
and emotionally draining
the verdict is always guilty
and nights play out a prison sentence
hard time behind bars
he cries for a dream
elusive
if not
impossible
for a woman whose hand he held once
for just a moment
for an island they never escaped to
for the ship he would’ve needed to sail them there
left only with an anchor
cast not in iron
but in regret
time burdens with memories
both good and bad
his heart begins to stink
like a hamper full of dirty socks
his guts boil
with anger and self-loathing
he cries for the love he once felt
and for the disgust that has taken its place
for horoscopes
and fortune cookies
that never came to be
the future is a monster under a bed
and a killer around a corner
suffocating with fright
he writes a poem as if it was his last breath
the pen becomes oxygen
becomes everything
becomes escape
arranging pieces of the English language
in order to tell a story
convey an image
through a poem he breaks through prison walls
dead planets return to life
and impossible dreams come to fruition
through a poem his tears become a pair of wings
and in sadness
he takes flight
