which fell down your cheek when you cried
both equally frightening and beautiful
and I watched you
you kissed with the force of a punch in the face
which you received every night from your father
each the only affection you’d ever known
and I watched you
you sat down with the tranquillity of a thunderstorm
which interrupted your dreams of a future
both actions just as comforting
and I watched you
you drew a line in your flesh with a knife as sharp as the words
which made the scars on your soul
both the same terror and hurt
and I watched you
you cried out with the intensity of a breath
so immediate and reflexive
both holding the same note on your lips
and I watched you
you fell to the ground with the weight of laughter
dead and on deaf ears
each scaring and astounding me
and I watched you
you stared up with the blankness of a mosaic
seemingly whole but still shattered
each a tiny shard of glass in the mirror of life
and I watched you
you touched me with the gentleness of a viper
your grip smooth and fatal
the marks left on my skin only fractions of the poison left in me
and I watched you
you released with the leisure of a blink
so long and yet so quickly gone
both believing never to be remembered by those who have experienced your presence
and I followed you.
--6/10/02