Today, 03:31 AM
How Time Passes
If it were up to me, everyone would look the same
as you. Then I could be miserable
everywhere I went: I go to order coffee, your lips
ask me about oatmilk. Someone crashes
their suburban through the paper door
of my garage, it’s you who comes to judge
if I should be made whole. You get exhausted
holding onto hope. It makes the muscles give up
all their calcium, scream like lobsters delicately
boiled alive, animals too dumb to know
the screaming does no good. Old and stupid
as I am, somehow I know better. When it’s time
to pay the bill, not even my teeth rattle.
I spread my hands and look you calmly
in the eye, accept the shitty latte
that for now will keep them warm.
If it were up to me, everyone would look the same
as you. Then I could be miserable
everywhere I went: I go to order coffee, your lips
ask me about oatmilk. Someone crashes
their suburban through the paper door
of my garage, it’s you who comes to judge
if I should be made whole. You get exhausted
holding onto hope. It makes the muscles give up
all their calcium, scream like lobsters delicately
boiled alive, animals too dumb to know
the screaming does no good. Old and stupid
as I am, somehow I know better. When it’s time
to pay the bill, not even my teeth rattle.
I spread my hands and look you calmly
in the eye, accept the shitty latte
that for now will keep them warm.

