borrow the dark
borrow the salt spilling from my eyes
when you can no longer remember
which name belonged to you
scratch a doorway into the wall with a fingernail
and step through
take my trembling hands
take the heat sealed inside my ribs
take the untainted years
before i learned the exact art of breaking things
scratch a doorway into the wall with a fingernail
and step through
take the stillness sitting in this cold chair
and pretend it was a life
lay it flat across the room
to see if it still bleeds
scratch a doorway into the wall with a fingernail
and step through
take the dying blue light pooling in the alleyway
and let it run down the wall like a bruise
drag the shivering soul out from your coat
and leave it standing in the cold
scratch a doorway into the wall with a fingernail
and step through
take my terror
take the last breath resting in my lungs
press it into the mouth
of this empty glass
scratch a doorway into the wall with a fingernail
and step through
take my bitterness
and the shattered teeth left inside my mouth
fashion them into whatever weapon
keeps you alive tonight
scratch a doorway into the wall with a fingernail
and step through
take the final softness i carried in my chest
take the light leaving the window pane
take the mother who loved me before i disappeared
take the child who never made it out
scratch a doorway into the wall with a fingernail
and step through
scratch the doorway one last time
i am stepping inside
—lyra moon (a key carved from the lock itself)
july 25, 2026