Drunk

she knuckles her glass
red stains on the rim
lipstick smudged
she stares out the window
blood red lips forming a sad smile
"you're drunk," he says
she laughs
"we're all drunk
drunk on distraction
drunk on the things we can't forget
drunk on the things we're trying to fight
drunk on our pain
drunk on our own addictions"
she throws her head back
takes a swig
"the only difference 
is i'm not trying to hide it anymore."
she pours herself another shot
and drains it
leaving a fresh crimson stain
on a cool glass rim

the girl who fell in love

she was the girl who fell in love
who fell hard and fast

she fell in love with the sunset
a horizon bleeding lilac and gold

she fell in love with ocean waves
crawling up the beach to kiss her feet

she feel in love with the moon
a silver button in the sky, holding her world together

she fell in love with books
the reassuring whisper of their memory-scented pages

she fell in love with words
their rich flavor and beautiful, swirling strokes

she fell in love with music
that gentle, melodic knife that rips the veil and opens the heart

she fell in love with everything
everything but herself

Twilight Blue

my favorite sky is just after sunset
twilight blue
fading into the horizon
a pale, muted yellow
just a few stars speckled across the expanse
fragments of constellations
not fully formed
the suspense
the moment between
after the day ends
before the night begins
a moment to breathe
a moment to exist

Sunset Drabble

i wonder what a sunset tastes like
tangy-sweet citrus
or sugary-rich cotton candy?
i wonder what the moon smells like
fresh cleaned cotton
or mild spring violet?
i wonder what the clouds sound like
the crisp rustle of paper
or the soft squish of wool?
i wonder what shadows feel like
stiff, foldable cardboard
or soft, spongy felt?
i wonder what my thoughts look like
wispy grey smoke
or rainbow threads?
i wonder about the color and texture of my emotions
i wonder about the melody and flavor of my dreams
i wonder
do you?

Erased

you touched my heart and it melted like ash
no sash could tie the charred pieces back into their original shape
no tape could keep it together
whether you stay or go i'll never be the same
now shame follows me
swallows me whole
my soul locked up in guilt
my identity now built on shadows and masks
she asks me who i am and i have no answer
your numbing cancer has eaten away my very core
i pour my heart out on the page and it's blank
my tank has only fading stains where my blood-ink used to be
you see, my pen is running dry
and no matter how hard i try, the pages of me are fading as though written in invisible ink
in a blink, another page gone
the most devastating con: erased identity
as if i was never meant to be