Taught the AbC 24 part 2

My grinning shadow the—truth that seeps behind me—
seeping in my dreams, bathing in muddy swirls of hope, anger, and sadness, 
singing

     “A B C D [   ]               
            -step
             F G H I J    
                  -step           
                         K L [   ]   
                             -step
                              N O P Q R    
                                       -step
                                            S T U V W     
                                                      -step
                                                           X Y Z”                                     
                                                               —miss a step, stumble—
                     No—
    N-ooo           no
                   NO.
A deer in the headlights of hope.

Why am I submerged in overlapping bowls of serial 
                                                                        Nu2b4rs—
Taught twenty-four… is—“close enough?”
Taught to “leave THIS language”— 
Taught to leave, M E.

EMber,
EyEs,
sEEping,
bEaMs,
EvEry,
My,
ME
Earth,
EvErlasting,
ovErripE,
MEtal,
sMoldering,

Why does a tongue whiplash my shattered heart?

                          Yet no question.

Cold granite steals the warmth from my fingertips.
Alone in present thought.
Stark white blank canvas,
unblemished by life’s stroke.

Pristine office,
Tight leather chair,
my reflected eyes interviewing.
Ribs stitching my stomach, my shadow,
the sower of doubt,

Still stumbling through a web of words,
                   Words…
                 Frag24nt.
                  Drea24r
                   Na24…
                    Love—
Cackling… in screams, shouts, states—of-truths.

I throw it all back on the table,
Stark white canvas—scribbled.
Earth—a circle.
Snap, cough, roar, amber beams radiating.
Click of the car—solitary words unlocked.

I am 24 + 2 = M + E 

Me.




What are we without our scars.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

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artly Avatar
September 26, 2026 at 8:53 AM
I've really been enjoying your poem and the emotions and imagery were so vivid that i could easily picture them as beautiful illustration. I'm a commission-based manga/webtoon artist,and I’d love to discuss the possibility of bringing this poem to life if you're ever interested. Feel free to reach out at gm@il : akiracomicart2@ or on inst@: akiraa_artly
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