I’m not proud of my strength
& the tension at its core
Heartbreak of awkward youth
& the pain it always bore
But time passes & we tend to forget
Replaced by tragedy on the evening news
No longer transcribing loss
Nor remembering that fatal bruise
Broken umbrellas & sturdy desks
Making no distinctions for the loss of time
Sketching out all the possible plots
Willful heartache remains the worst kind of crime
Put away your stencils & fountain pens
These days call for someone to be original & bold
Toss aside oaken casks of yesteryear’s notion
This world isn’t ready for those who shattered their own mold
Tea cups & china dolls should stay by the wayside
They won’t last long out here if they can’t put up a fight
Early days already simmering, making my coffee feel cold
Survivors must gather; let love be the fruit by which we write
Perfection laid out on satin sheets
Beauty dripping away piece by piece
Every dream slipped right through
Life & loss masked by laughing creases
He said you were everything he desired
Burning deep in his soul, but you refused
Moving too fast to stop & notice him
Yet you cry foul, saying you were abused
The sun rises no matter who is pained
Recall broken hearts when you’re the cause
Plump out your pretty pink lips
In the quiet of night, please retract your claws
Calm thyself, you know your own heart
Time to realize you’re the fatal flaw
Even if you have failed
This life isn’t a total loss
You can always get get back up
When you’re living under the cross
Brokenhearted on a Monday afternoon
Mourning the loss of a piece of my heart
The giant, jerk dog was always there
This can’t be the end; merely the start
I never got a chance to truly say goodbye
For I never believed you’d be gone
That you’d bounce back, like you always did
But always isn’t now & I can’t move on
I didn’t think I’d feel this damn raw
I keep looking for you in the playroom
Seeing if you’re causing mischief
Or wandering into the girls’ call on Zoom
But I can’t find you anywhere
My giant dog has somehow disappeared
These eyes won’t stop leaking
& I know, it’s not going to be the same around here.
Captain Q 