fantasy

we grow up and lose the

magic that keeps our soul

afloat,

but I’ll build myself a

fantasy

and surround my dreams

with a moat.

to be strong

no one saw

past the football games

to see the strength in his hands

and fear in his eyes,

hoping all his life

he could run fast enough to

get away from the bruises

and pain.

no one noticed the

split seconds

between jokes and smiles

to see he was covering up

a past

that scared him into

corners

of dark bed rooms,

hiding behind

closed doors.

no one tried to

see past

the loud competitiveness

to see the wish in his memories

to be stronger

than the

shattered bottles

and pools of alcohol

littering their home

that is just a house.

no one saw

any of that

until you came.

pretending

and

every

day

we

pretend.

and

every

day

we don’t

see.

and

every

day

it

gets

a

little

harder.

and

every

day

I

hold

back

words

I

want

so

badly

to

say.

and

every

time

I

don’t,

I

hope

you

know

that

I

almost

do.

sophomore pictures

she danced around

the railroad tracks

with the sunlight catching

on her hair,

and in a twirl of motion

her image blurred

and faded,

until she wasn’t there.

and I don’t know if I took

for granted

all the times I danced,

too, all I know is that

when she’s gone

the sky doesn’t seem

as blue.

waiting

you told me you’d be there for me,

you said you’d follow through,

you said so many things

that you must’ve forgotten what was true.

you told me to follow my dreams,

then shot the bird from the sky,

told me that you loved me,

then proved it was a lie.

you told me you’d be there for me,

you said promises held strong,

and as I stand in the rain,

I realize I wasn’t waiting for you all along.