we need to talk

i’ll lift back the curtain

lower my face

walk out, listen

you will too

commands set the tone

heightened emotions cloned

and we can’t extend this phone line made with tape and twine far enough from begging ears to pretend we’re alone, with monster fears

under-explained

while over-zealous tears beg for forgiveness

never attained

comments continue the misinterpretation of dreams we share for a future aware that this window blank stare won’t find a way to care

as we listen to the off-beat blare of distant heartbeats

i watch you

assumption-breathes find and fog glass

we are separate

it’s used as backdrop to write ‘die’

as you walk by and i’ve never even asked you your name

assumptions

that’s you

a whole bucket full of my assumptions

you’re neither rubber nor glue you haven’t a clue that i drew your shoe, red, white, and blue, knowing your name wasn’t Boo, and i couldn’t Radley an understanding of what you’ve been through, but this two-dimensional false-attempt makes me feel better

kill the birds

i don’t jump when your name is called

i told you we need to talk

behind the walls

so you couldn’t hear

and i could say ‘i tried’