have you ever cruised down roads lit with the old dark
the dark that is only the absence of light
the dark that has never known the fluorescent
buzzzzzz
only
the bright desert of the
sun
have you ever seen a flame stack ablaze
with oily gray clouds diluting an unblemished sky
no stars, no depth, no angel eyes
have you ever seen the flames spiral like watercolors
battle-worn with agoraphobia
have you ever seen pollution so pretty
a sunset of a thousand colors
a seamless edge to the encroaching dark
orange as a botched spray tan
pink as roughed-up cheeks
red as poppy flowers
purple as swollen lips
blue as new midnight
there are things in this world that shouldn’t be pretty
horrific things, things that burn and bite and beat
that horde stolen innocence like fool’s gold
that paint masks and line them all up
in front of a computer screen
the cruelty this world around
relies much on beauty to hide its claws
About the Creator
Brittany MacKeown
I also go by my middle name, Renee, but you can call me about anything
Enjoyed the story? Support the Creator.
Subscribe for free to receive all their stories in your feed. You could also pledge your support or give them a one-off tip, letting them know you appreciate their work.
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.