Dejection and stony stares
intersect at the season’s end.
The rumors of me leaving,
even if only gossip, shook
the ground beneath her feet.
Darkness swirls in to take
a peek at her shivering in the corner,
honing in on the obscurity that feigns
friendly intentions.
A parade of mistakes,
she mistakes for future absolutes,
which is absolutely in her head,
and swallowing the pills dampens
the suffocating blankets
of memories returning
while she’s sleepless,
rocking at the edge of her bed,
reading a Bible for strength,
but everywhere she steps foot,
she sees broken dreams
drenched in loneliness,
as an eerie presence stalks her,
as though she were holding the key
to the underworld.
Footprints of regret torment her,
but with me, she smiles.
She needs the pills,
but she needs me even more.

(If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, please reach out to the national hotline.)

Twitter – @AC0040

(© 2023 AC)

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