it’s okay
blink back the tears
and tell them you have allergies
it’s okay
you’re just older
and the country has fallen
even further apart
and it hurts
like a wound that won’t heal
a searing heat
that lives around your heart-
little charred bits
falling slowly
through your ribs
to the ground
it’s okay
you’re just older
more sentimental
more foolish
with your desperate dreams
of the love
between all the little creatures
being the intangible god
that shows the way
it’s okay
it’s okay
it’s okay
you’ll die some day
and everything will carry on
until it doesn’t carry on any more
but whatever happens
you won’t be around to burn
you won’t hurt
any more
you can only set loose
everything that you have
love with every molecule
as many as you can
and leave them be
let them
learn
to
live
or
not.
10/28/2018 AAW
