your linens watched as
footsteps retreated to the back
of your mind.
you smiled broken hearts
and i felt my soul slip away
into silence.

i listened for signs of life
before i dove into the metaphor
that wound itself so tightly
about your neck that I was afraid
it would suffocate
our mentalities.

my arms reached to you,
but you ignored them and
i shrank into darkness
and watched your sorrow flow
i wanted to catch it in a jar
to keep it safe for later

but the jars were full of fireflies
that died wishing for a higher plane of
existence.

i wanted to cradle you
sing sweet symphonies to you as
i felt beethoven would have,

but i was not deaf and i couldn't
feel my own body's vibrations
as i settled into silence.