Death

A summit of light
built before her.
A canopy rising higher
and higher as she looks up.
Her hands press
against her eyes
trying to swipe the brightness
away, but her fingers
are bathed in it,
They smell like light,
bright, burnt sugar,
they sizzle against her eyelids
setting them on fire
like the thinnest of papers.

For Shadow

A goodbye written in water
moved through me.
A chase of words
and things I’d like to have
said and done for you.
I breathe through this night
with the leftovers of you
at my heels.
They have taken over my room,
my house,
so there’s not a spot
that won’t tear skin from my limbs.
There’s only goodbye left,
I know,
just the tail of our time together
to try to wrap around us
as we are yanked apart.

– Valentina Cano