a guitar string
a baby blue bow
billie singing
a quiet touch
a candle
a root beer
in a frosted mug

a cheerleader
walking
looking sad
pretty but sad
missing something

playing guitar
looking deeply
into pale blue eyes
sharing silence
sharing nothing
sharing anything
speaking
a language
nobody understands
but us

a loaded gun
in a young girl’s hand
dreaming
someone else’s dreams
reading
someone else’s words
seeing
what she wrote
what she thought
i wasn’t there

I see things
a guitar string
a baby blue bow
a candle burning
a candle burned out
hearing billie
a quiet touch
tasting root beer
in a frosted mug

It’s not so bad
really
not anymore
i see
and hear things
that remind me
every moment
every day
so many that it makes
no difference anymore
unless i close my eyes
and ears
and sleep all day
and all night
otherwise i am sure
to see something
hear something
so i walk
i talk
i see and hear
and i look and listen
otherwise
she dies
again.