he has stockpiled his life
so it may dangle from the tip of his tongue
and he tells me
"this is ecstasy"
the skyscrapers push him
into the ground
every so often he forces out a smile
and he misses where he has never been
he wants to be
the interminable sadness
he scrapes his mind for an excuse
and tells me "this is living"
he folds into his weaknesses
he folds beneath his feet
he conceals an empire
of fear and good intentions
as he sleeps, worlds form behind his eyes
he swallows the truth
and holds it down
he tells me "this is everything"
he reminds me
he contains me
he is unaware
but he knows what he is doing
he is unaware
and tells me "this is drowning"
and i believe him
even as he breathes.