The way I blew out candles
was like the wind whipping scarves
then pinching the nose
lifting the smoke like
baby lions over a waking land.
The dark room would eat the fire
like princes at a long table
would engulf the sweets.
I watched the grey birds
ascend the table,
watched the horses run into waves, hooves barely licking the sand.
The screen looked dirty
in the bright afternoon light
the color burned out as the
little dusty wishes lifted from the couch
I threw myself into my seat
careful not to spill my plate of popcorn
and apples
I imagined how many birthdays I had left
how many candles I could get to
before I sat empty in my seat
with no breath to extinguish them.
How many times I could be lifted over
a world that could love me
Before I knew my white privilege had given me
was like the wind whipping scarves
then pinching the nose
lifting the smoke like
baby lions over a waking land.
The dark room would eat the fire
like princes at a long table
would engulf the sweets.
I watched the grey birds
ascend the table,
watched the horses run into waves, hooves barely licking the sand.
The screen looked dirty
in the bright afternoon light
the color burned out as the
little dusty wishes lifted from the couch
I threw myself into my seat
careful not to spill my plate of popcorn
and apples
I imagined how many birthdays I had left
how many candles I could get to
before I sat empty in my seat
with no breath to extinguish them.
How many times I could be lifted over
a world that could love me
Before I knew my white privilege had given me
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