i used to sing to her

late at night

she never knew

it was soft

not like me now

led away by the lure of laughs that carry down halls

conversations through bathroom stalls pretending there weren’t the walls to trap sounds of sniffing in silence to let go of violence a cast of caring hoping to make it through the day

i met you that way stunning in sunflicked styles eyes dialed back with youthful trials

walking closer

without chancing it

i will lose you soon enough

my lullabies

sat alone

feeding off a single tone

my regret

and inability to stay stable long enough for you to open your eyes

perhaps you were protecting your senses listening long enough to understand the pretenses that pass through tempted words even when shifted by a melody i stole from you

it wasn’t my song

i’m not that clever