the cavern inside a collapsed cave

i am not here for the magnificent many or the generous glitter

tell me of those untold

the places where the fledging skin goes or those who drowned

still swim with fish stuffed

where the cut hair clumps and the ear wax, the eye mucus, the papers

that held alphabets just being learned find themselves unread

show me those little nothings of valentine’s day cards confessing all

the definition of trust after a promise is broken

the last dollar spent by a man who died yesterday

in a disease he couldn’t afford to have

or just that dwelling for me inside you

among the things you didn’t need to say

that made me unwell

bring me to the voice of someone afraid to use it

to the deflated balloons of tomorrow with birthday wishes plastered on them

to the holes left alone in hugs

to the 106 year old woman who has outlived her relatives

because of a proud diet of pasta and wine and outrageous sex and family

whom she loved more than the rest

though that’ll come too

even as i’m moved to the emptiness that grows

in the confessions of a cheater who will teach you

the other the always the them

how to love

let me to her who has found out

she couldn’t admit her fears

or his

let me kiss her lips

the space still unused after creation

that will say later

oh it is too early to talk about then

where nobody remains

where the gods forget

where a name is replaced

with syllables that sound similar

enough

and then

when i have been taken to that which was done

to the void inside an opened shoe box

to the soles that lapped among the feet

to the track that has its pavement cracked

in the shapes of butterflies that will one day fly again

after wondering what would happen if

they left with the clouds

i will glitter myself

a lowlife

becoming it all