Everyone Surrounds
Everyone Surrounds
1998
They gathered around the cake like hogs
at a watering hole. It sat in front of The You
that had been dyeing grey. But today you
painted over yourself in yellows that burst
from the chest. The candles glow against
your shadow, and you used to count the candles
like a chalked tally for every year
that brought you closer and closer
to the something you’ve been waiting for.
But everything has been slowing down.
2000
You used to blow out the candles
and imagine a part of you got lost
in the smoke that curled
and hung above their heads.
But now you inhale—
to take your last breath
of your former self
and blow it all away.
“Happy Birthday!”
“Things will get better!” they say.
2004
You remembered the sound of your voice
that hammered against the walls of a tin can
when you were young. Now it’s sealed
and stored on a shelf in a grocery store.
Next year, it’ll be priced at $3.99
So you get your can opener, pierce the can,
press it to your lips and swallow the preserved
chunks of You that you’ve been trying to get back.
And they shout, “Chug! Chug! Chug!”
While you wish for a blackout
that will bring you back to last year.
2010
You’re twenty eight
now,
and next you’ll be thirty.
Everyone surrounds,
arms around
your shoulders
with smiles
and teeth
and breath
in your ears.
You got lost
again
in memories
of tourniquet
rainbow swirls
of wax
2012
When did it become seventeen candles
too many
Now we just use those big numerical
ones
Lazy. A jumbo three paired with a jumbo
zero
Two candles pretending to be
thirty
2015
You began to slide down the bell curve
of life at seventeen
but you lied to yourself at twenty one,
believing you were
on the come up.
But remember
to smile, because they’re all watching you now,
be happy,
they’re here for you,
be happy,
you were born
some odd years ago,
and now it’s time to count the candles.
Blow them out and escape through
the smoke
that rises
through
the dark
tea room
2019
They’re burning higher now,
It’s getting louder
now.
Everyone
surrounds,
everyone.
Copyright © Alecinthe Ink | Year Posted 2019
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