Stardust on Autumn Leaves

pale yellow shards of brittle glass shatter under my feet as I stroll along this grey patchwork of concrete and if the world stutters precarious on its spurious axis, I pay it no mind the ice of my pupils melts into inky lashes that bleed cold down my face and in my head, I conjure a universe where every contradiction, every illusion you did not believe in this one becomes a reality all around me, there are people breathing autumn air who know the art of exhaling their throats don’t choke, and their tongues don’t freeze at the thought of forgetting the taste and that is what I remember hope to be the galaxies and supernovas and black holes in my chest- I am tired of their weight it’s too much for a person, and I am just half of one so I tell myself it’s not selfish to fall to frail knees on a faded sidewalk to double over in searing throes and give up on starry eyes, even if it is their memory that dusts begotten leaves their golden brown edges crumble into goodbyes under callous feet