I can hear the clock ticking
on the wall
at my grandmother's house
and I'm counting
the seconds of silence
like sheep.
It snowed yesterday
early in the morning
and I saw your face
reflecting in my footsteps
when I looked back.
I wish you could see the world
through my eyes.
Would it feel more gray to you?
Would you notice the same things
that I see every day,
or would you bring new perspective?
Would it change you?
I wish you could take my thoughts
and organize them in alphabetical order
like the documents at the doctor's office.
Would you smile to yourself
when you got to the first letter of your name?
I wish you could wear my clothes
to feel the weight on my shoulders.
Would the smell of my perfume
remind you of my laugh?
I wish you could see the flowers
growing in my ribcage.
I've been tending to them
and I'm starting to get used to the thorns.
Would you pick a flower
to put in the vase at home?
I wish you could count the freckles on my nose
and line them up in the shape of constellations,
inventing a story for each.
Maybe that way
I would make more sense to you.
I wish you would see me
instead of seeing through me.
I wish you would understand why
it took me two seconds to say your name
and a lifetime to forget it.

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