-CometDust-

Mrs. Craywood

her curls needed cutting

instead she dyed them black

she could have washed her face

but she brushed on dark eye shadow

to hide her eyes

she used to think they were

pretty.

I've never been much of a fighter.

I take hits like glass takes baseballs

like fire takes to rain.

Glass breaks and fire goes out.

I've never been much of a fighter.

A retaliator, resister

TikTok scrolling, climate warming,
Ocean rising, forests burning,
AI whispering, futures shifting,
Polar ice caps, glaciers drifting.

ten tears that escape from the narrow corners of my eyes

flowing down my cheeks and onto my lap where they melt and disappear

even my tears have lost.

nine questions scribbled into a diary late at night