fire. ice. water. air. earth. claws. fangs. wings. gold. diamonds. grass. leaves. trees. roses. metal. iron. rust. rain. snow. lace. silk. cotton. sun. moon. stars. blood. dirt. mud. silver. steel. sugar. salt. lavender. pomegranate. foxglove. glass. wood. paper. wool. fur. smoke. ash. ocean. bruises. scars. wind. spices. light. dark.paint. charcoal. wine. hard liquor. sweat. dust. bare feet. canine. feline. coffee. tea. candles. sword. dagger. staff. arrow. hammer. shield. gun. spikes. sand. rocks. roots. feathers. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. herbs. waves. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. clay. stone. brick. lions. wolves. foxes. ravens. crows. mountains.
“ YOU RISE, I FALL, I STAND, YOU CRAWL, YOU TWIST, I TURN. ” / the softest palms that never want to touch you until after a bottle of wine. / “ just braid your hair if you won’t brush it, at least, you useless girl. ” / pulling on your skirt with one hand as you shuffle away. /“ YOU’LL GET IT DONE BEFORE THE DAY IS UP. ” / GUILT THAT ISN’T YOURS TO HAVE. /it’s a crooked game, but it’s the only one in town. / chains. / “ how could you do this to me? ” / THE SHARP STING OF GUILT. / YOU FEEL SOMETHING EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE PAID TO DO THE OPPOSITE / THE FAMILY YOU NEVER HAD. / falling backwards through time. / quicksand. / DROWNING, BUT YOU DON’T SAVE YOURSELF. / “ you’re getting better. ” /“ they smile like a snake. ” / you’re the stars and the sky. /THERE’S A PART OF YOU THAT COULDN’T STAY AWAY EVEN IF YOU WERE FORCED TO. / they are your wings, there’s no doubt there. / “ lets take off somewhere. lets fly. ” / YOU EDGE A BIT TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN. / another ghost to take your place after every stumble. / deep roots in the ground slashed open in the sun. / rock candy melting in water. / waves rise and leave the foam behind. / THE PRECIPICE YOU CALL HOME HAS A TIP YOU’LL REACH EVENTUALLY. / happiness is the best front a man can make. / “ i’ve never seen someone as beautiful as you before. ” / YOU DISAGREE; THEY’RE MORE BEAUTIFUL. / discomfort at the tiniest of touches. / the sky opens up when you see them. / rain comes down./ poppy fields / your sanity hanging by a thread. / “ OH GOD, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” / roommates weren’t supposed to be the smartest ones of all. / your mother had the most beautiful gardens, but you can’t grow anything worth a damn. / THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN DEEP SPACE AND DEEP WATER. / they’ve got a devil on their shoulder and an angel in their mind. / YOU TRIED TO HELP, BUT IT ONLY GOT WORSE. / NOW THEY’RE DEAD, IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT. / adam & eve in the garden. / a temptress in crisp button-downs. / “ you’ve gone off the deep end, haven’t you? ” / THEY LIE SO PERFECTLY YOU ALMOST FORGET YOURSELF. / the spark that lit the kindling on your funeral pyre. /sugar and spice and a taste for the dark side. / you smell like the mountains in the winter. / crisp red apples piled up on the table. / your shoes are sharp, but your wit is even sharper. / what a pretty one, they say. / directionless laughter. / “ love, I think I’m dying. ” /A SOFT, HOLLOW SPOT SITS IN YOUR CHEST. / there’s a place you’ll never leave no matter who tries to stop you. / the seat of power fits like a glove. / heavy is the head that wears the crown. / there will always be someone ready to break your neck and relieve you of the weight. / you share a space, but not a mind. / they think of you as weak. you are, maybe. / “ what are you going to do with all of these pills? ” / an empty bird’s nest. / broken pencil tips. / there’s an empty paper in front of you that you’ll never fill. / “ we want you to succeed. i hope you can grasp that. ” / “ they weren’t there when it happened. ” / quick to anger. /corruption. / there’s a red string tying you together. / the scent of whiskey on the horizon. / “ you’re the best friend i’ve ever had. ” / “ jump. I dare you. ” / 99 red balloons drifting through a hazy sky. / you try to lift your head up, but it’s so much effort. /always walking on sunshine. / marble under the sun. / “ I was hoping that you’d understand. ” / there’s a million reasons to come down from the clouds, but you can’t be bothered. / loon is the word of the day. / hair twisted up with glitter butterfly clips like a haphazard mobile. / you drift, but you know where you’re going. / no one has any dirt on you because you’re infinitely spotless. / the empty side of your bed they crawled into when they were nine. / court hearings. / “ I MISS YOU. ” / siblings are a funny thing. / they point out every family-shaped hole in every picture on the mantelpiece. / a lone wolf separated from its pack. / “ they say your name is death. ” / all-consuming passion. / THINK ABOUT THE THINGS YOU DID. / feed off the daylight. / no signs of life. / “ what are you waiting for? ” / pure wilderness. / if you’re hungry enough, anyone can stop caring about something long enough to eat it. / spine like a ladder, and his weary feet can’t find purchase. / THE BURN WAS SO SLOW, NO ONE EVER SAW IT COMING. / LEARN THROUGH TEACHING. / “ have you ever thought about why trees bleed? ” / sleeping nude as a means to declare you want to stay. / “ go down with me, fall with me. ” / black on black on black on black on bl — / the long game. / restless hands. / YOU WILL DO ANYTHING TO KEEP THEM / a cemetery by the moon, unblessed. / even when you walked one would think you waltzed. / “ mad men know nothing, but you should have seen me ” / “ my blood ran cold. ” / power corrupts. / wood grain and nail tracks. / no scales are strong enough to judge you. / “ your eyes make me want to do terrible things. “ / gaping as the river swallows her whole / rose brambles claiming your home / power is power / i am the night. / lust and loss call used feet that rhythmically hit the pavement. / dark hair and a glance thrown over a shoulder / THEY CALL YOU ANGEL AND DEVIL IN THE SAME BREATH / YOU HAVE CEASED TO BE YOURSELF; ONLY WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO BE REMAINS/ flowers bloom until they rot and fall apart / brother; what’s my name? / whatcha gonna do when the chips are down? / wouldn’t you have done the same? / you can have your principles as long as you’ve a belly full / lover’s desire / what remains? /when you were mine the world seemed to burn / apocryphal vows delivered upon hands and knees / BEWARE THE MUSIC OF THE DEAD, FOR IT SHALL LEAD YOU LIKEWISE UNTO DEATH.
