many small worlds
art by Maggie Siner You like your many, small words. I like, adore, cherish, love, love, love you. I cannot live without you, cannot breathe without you, cannot bear to look at the world without you in it. And so, I walk with my head down. And so, I pretend you are walking with me, with your head held high. I have only seen you bow your head once. Your lone white flag. When I'm alone again, your memories tenderly fall around me like our blue blanket. Oh, that blanket. I sleep underneath it for weeks, I pretend I'm dead like you are. Oh, that damned blanket. Soft, affectionate, warm... and now I'm lying on the limestone tiles again. The cold tile against my skin reminds me that you're gone, and I'm still here. I pretend my tears are all you, raining hard, pouring, lashing, pelting. I tried and tried an...
