6.9
August 28, 2020

So, What About Us? {Poem}

Streetlights flash

in this silent night.
His hand rests in my pocket—
these blue jeans are tight.

Far away, waves crash
as I put my arm around his waist.

We don’t say it out loud,
but both of us wonder:
will it ever be the same?
We can’t forget the pain
since the day we went up in flames.

A memory so real that
we still feel it burning in our veins.

A memory so real that
it only seems to fade when it rains.

So, what about us?
It’s ashes to ashes and dust to dust.

Stars flicker,
it’s still the same silent night,
we make our way in the dark.
There’s not the slightest clue of morning light.

Farther away, the ocean seems calm
while you and I feel alone—side by side.

We don’t say it out loud,
but both of us wonder:
is our love here to blame?
When we’re only going down the drain—
there is nothing left to gain.

A moment so real that
we feel this distinct burning in our veins.

A moment so real that
it will not fade when it rains.

So, what about us?
It’s ashes to ashes and dust to dust.

No more streetlights—only stars.
We stop and stare into the dark,
and both of us wonder:
how did we come this far?

When we are together, we feel apart,
as if we’ve had a change of heart.

But we don’t say it out loud,
because we know
that all the words
we now leave unspoken
would only add cracks
to what’s already broken.

So, as I said,
it is a silent night,
where both of us stay quiet.

~

Read 6 Comments and Reply
X

Read 6 comments and reply

Top Contributors Latest

Janine Friedrich  |  Contribution: 7,750

Image: Janine Friedrich

Image: Bent Hertema/Unsplash

Editor: Elizabeth Brumfield