「 YOU CAN ONLY KNOW THE LIGHT IF YOU'VE SEEN THE DARKNESS 」

it started with lazy
saturday afternoons when
we skipped stones in the sky.
the quiet ripples of gentle
blue scared away the stars
but we told them come hither
then climbed the ladder to
take them off take them
home and string them on
our closet doors to keep
away the dark.
we were but
liars tripping on wires
unplugging bulbs and watching
them spark as they free fall
hoping that the broken glass
will slice our skin then maybe
we'll find the human inside.
our hands no longer tremble
when we stitch our broken flesh.
what happened to the kids
who were afraid of the scarlett
who were afraid of the gravel
who never wanted to fall
to bleed and laugh at their
scars.
the light shunned hated
broke abused violated us
so we fell in love with the darkness
stealing stars from the night
and hiding them under our blankets.
it gave us galactic dreams
yet cut our skin but
our slumber moulded with
the pain.
the morning light stings
a little as blankets caress
our raw wounds.
so we paint the sun black
with sins and turn around the
moon. the tears seeped through
the blanket and the stars now
drip with sorrow so we hang
them out on the clothesline
where sometimes they slip
and children below
wish on them praying begging
pleading for light but
we refuse for when we looked
for light it pushed us
to the dark.
there is a peace in not
knowing where you are
for we are but
liars tripping on wires.
we slept in fear
knowing we won't make it
through the night but
what if the night never ends?
it ended with lazy
saturday afternoons when
we strung ropes up high.
the quiet sniffles were gently
stifled when we knotted
the necklaces. a push from
the ledge then the lights go
out because we were but
liars who tripped on wires.