a charred tower / a toothbrush in the bedroom
/ the drawer in your nightstand catches flesh
on its thin metal hinge — suddenly you stand up.
you beg your friends
to not touch the knob     no one seems to mind.

the nightmare: no one wants to talk about it — you're 
frantic. you're the food in the box left
in the sealed booth, you're the music playing
above that you'd never listen to. the stuffing
in the pillow is trying to escape a head too hot     you had a good day.

why you're standing down then, like you're warmth
in the fridge, someone's got to know. 
the film's on, everyone has fish 
and meat in their bellies / and the drawer
stays closed. an anxious giggle  —   no one has any room for you.
they love you.

/  thinking fondly

of days long and ridged  /  impossible to remember fully

and gone  /  they love you.