LIKE EMPTY WINE BOTTLES STACKING

UP AGAINST ONE ANOTHER IN MY MOUTH

INSTEAD OF MY TEETH;

FOR EVERY TIME I DARED SPEAK

ALL THE WORDS WOULD SPILL

LIKE A GLASS OF RED CABERNET

ONTO MY KNEES;

LIKE EVERY SUN RAY THAT HIT MY ROOF

SINCE I'VE BEEN BACK HOME

HAS BEEN AN INVITATION TO DUEL 

I COWER FROM FRIGID CORNER TO FRIGID CORNER

IN HOPES I CAN SALVAGE ANY BIT OF COLD LEFT

THAT SO DESPERATELY REMINDS ME OF

THE FUTURE I HAD TO PUT ON HOLD,

ENDLESSLY PICKING AT MY OWN PRUNE FINGERS

LIKE I COULD FIND THE MEANING OF MY OWN BITTER RETREAT

ETCHED DEEP INTO ALL THE LAYERS OF SKIN AND SWEAT

LIKE THE WAY I KEEP WAKING UP TO THE SOUND

OF SALT HITTING THE SIDEWALK OUTSIDE BUT

OUTSIDE IS NOT HERE AND MY ROOM HAS BECOME

A TIME CAPSULE OF THE OCEAN;

THE WAY THE WAVES OF NOSTALGIA RIDE ME CONSISTENTLY 

INTO A BOTTOMLESS WELL OF AN ACHE

EVERY NIGHT I FALL ALSEEP TO THE TART SOUND 

OF MY OWN GLASS HEART BREAKING,

EVERY MORNING I WAKE WITH ALL THE REASONS

OF MY OWN DISSATISFIED DEFEAT;

EVERY EVENING MY MUMMIFIED HANDS 

CEASE TO EXIST 

WITH THE PHONEY MEMORY OF 

SNOW CAVED POARCHES

AND ENDLESS SUNSETS 

THE COLOUR OF HIS DARK BLUE EYES