last night i walked through the city of my skull
streets made of wet concrete and cigarette smoke
my feet didn’t touch the ground,
my lungs didn’t need air
but i still felt the burn of remembering
i bumped into my own reflection in a cracked window
smiled at me like it knew every lie i ever whispered
every promise i ever burned
and i laughed-loud
echoed down the alley
where shadows spat at me
but didn’t bite
the sky was neon bleeding into blood
i reached for it
and caught the hum of my own heartbeat
like a hummingbird trapped in a mason jar
tried to let it go
but i wanted it
wanted it pulsing in my palm
wanted it calling my name when i woke
then the dream knew i was awake
shook me
told me
you can leave but you can’t escape
and i floated anyway
because i’m always floating anyway
and maybe that’s the whole point
maybe that’s the whole joke
and maybe, maybe, maybe
i never wanted to wake up at all