7/7/2024

The starter isn't always so obvious

They can be subtle too

It's not just fireworks that ignite the sensations in my body

It's the humming of the night

The way the planes sound above me

The way the air in this house lacks oxygen

I make my way up to the roof

To replenish the oxygen lost

I'm searching for the worlds that exist around me

Lives and stories adjacent to mine

I listen and watch as others move through their night

At night, voices travel

At night, people leave their curtains wide open

I let my mind wonder into their homes

Into their lives

And I imagine a different ending to mine...

At the very least it serves as a distraction

A safety net I can get myself tangled in

I've engaged in this exercise since I was a kid

Hoping that these stories would tape over the ones I carry

Images flicker as the insects make their music

My intestines make knots they undo and redo

I close my eyes and cover my ears

But just like you can feel the rumble of sound with noise canceling ear plugs

And the sun's brightness can reach your retina no matter how sealed your lids are

My memories can find me too...