the attic

the boy in the attic
sits and picks at the wooden floor around his feet
the boy in the attic
sits and picks at the scabs and his swollen teeth
too many days have passed since he ate
too many nights have come and gone
too many years have passed
outside his window

the girl in the street
sits and cries and shakes from the cold of the rain
the girl in the street
tries to shield her brain from the fear and the pain
too many nights have passed since she slept
too many days have come and gone
too many years have passed
outside her world

broken fairy tales cut their knees as they crawl
falling stars stab their skin
bubbles bursting blur their eyes
their dreams lie crushed under the weight
of their own lives

gripping to climb the rope of the hangman's noose
to escape the waves of anguish and hopelessness
fragility born of impoverished existence and helplessness

the physical and psychological shells
contain empty minds and souls
blank stares and deafening static
define the lines
define the roles

the boy in the attic
sits and picks at the cinder block walls around him
the boy in the attic
sits and stares as the dark pool streams towards the drain
too many days have passed since he smiled
too many nights have come and gone
too many years have passed
outside his window

the girl in the street
lies inside her cardboard newspaper cocoon
the girl in the street
facing the darkness is the only thing she can face
too many nights have passed since she was warm
too many days have come and gone
too many years have passed
outside her world