inner peace

a pounding melody.
light and bouncing drumlines.
the harsh echo of the violins as they repeated themselves.
that's what you reminded me of.

things that just don't belong.

it wasn't that you didn't belong.
you did. but you tried to make it seem as if you didn't.
you distanced yourself as people came to you.
when someone talked to you, you excused yourself.

running away was a hobby for you.

it was hard for me to chase you down.
to back you into a corner where you couldn't flee.
you tried to run. of course you did.
and i completely respected you for that.

but i wasn't here to let you continue doing what you were doing.

in the end, you were sobbing aganist me.
"i hate you. i hate you"
you muttered, over and over,
your fists beating against my chest.

they didn't hurt. nor did the scratches on my face that you left.

my blood wasn't the only kind flowing.
your own was too. you'd ripped open scars
that had just begun to heal.
red soaked down your arms and onto my shirt.

when your meltdown subsided, finally, you started to relax.

you were still hiccuping as you spoke.
"how did you know? i tried to hide it.."
as i looked up into the dark sky, i could only sigh.
"that's a secret."

i had no qualms about helping you get better.

in fact, i wanted you to get better.
for you to come to me, years later,
that smile of yours on your face
as you held a bouquet of flowers.

and when you did, i could only smile back.

Abriatis

NY

YWP Alumni

More by Abriatis

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    i have struggled. i have cried. i did not think i'd make it this far.
    i did not think i'd do half the things i have.
  • nine-eleven

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    my birthday, for me, has always been tinged with sadness.
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    i read the headlines.
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    i go outside.
    i see the masks, worn properly or not.
    the spraying of hand sanitizer,