u/Abject-Bend2733

What hides beneath us, deeper still down.

From morning to evening we put on our mask,

Jesters all of us, tears of a clown.

Silly and witty we light up the whole town,

Vaulting and twirling we honor our sole task,

What hides beneath us, deeper still down.

Laughter bites hard when seeking to drown,

Choking on sorrow, pray, we hope you don’t ask,

Jesters all of us, tears of a clown.

Singing we suffer, lies the flipped frown,

A reflection made to please, in it you bask,

What hides beneath us, deeper still down.

A hero, a champion in renown,

Yet achieving self, is to fill a full flask,

Jesters all of us, tears of a clown.

I bid you farewell, earning my crown.

The part I play is double edged, will I unmask

What hides beneath us deeper still down?

Jesters all of us, tears of a clown.

What hides beneath us, deeper still down.

From morning to evening we put on our mask,

Jesters all of us, tears of a clown.

Silly and witty we light up the whole town,

Vaulting and twirling we honor our sole task,

What hides beneath us, deeper still down.

Laughter bites hard when seeking to drown,

Choking on sorrow, pray, we hope you don’t ask,

Jesters all of us, tears of a clown.

Singing we suffer, lies the flipped frown,

A reflection made to please, in it you bask,

What hides beneath us, deeper still down.

A hero, a champion in renown,

Yet achieving self, is to fill a full flask,

Jesters all of us, tears of a clown.

I bid you farewell, earning my crown.

The part I play is double edged, will I unmask

What hides beneath us deeper still down?

Jesters all of us, tears of a clown.

The sliding door slams closed behind her. “You can’t just walk away like that, Allen!”

Allen pauses in the kitchen. “I’m not running, I’m creating distance, Elise. There’s a difference.”

Her grip on the doorknob tightens before releasing it. “Distance… like you’re not distant enough.”

Turning to the island, his knuckles whiten against the counter’s edge. “Don’t.” His voice trembles. “Don’t pull me back in, just—don’t…”

“Pull you back in…” She smiles. “Al, there’s nothing left to pull.” She tucks her arms inward.

Sliding his hands smoothly across the counter. “You remember a few years ago, we went on that trip to Cancun with your family?

“Yeah.” She brings a sleeve to her eye.

“We’d sleep in every morning, your parents would always beat us to the beach.” He chuckled dryly

Her smile persists. “And you’d lug that stupid chair that wouldn’t fold right back and forth every time.”
She chuckles back, bringing her sleeve down.

He smiles.
“You know you bought me that chair“.

Before exiting the car, the young man takes a moment to look himself over and steps out. The gravel of the pavement soon turns to grass as he approaches the hill.

Stopping short at the bottom, his eyes trail up toward the peak. “Maria! You up there?”

Maria’s arm pops over the hill’s crest like a signal flag.

Seeing her arm, the young man’s face softens as he ascends.

Suppressing his exhaustion he says, “Just had to find the biggest one tonight, huh.” Before laying down next to her.

Maria giggles. Though her fingers smooth over the stone in her hand— rough and aimless.

The grass kisses her cheek as she turns her head to look at him. “This is where I get the best view.”

Returning the gesture, he turns his head. “Of what?”

Maria lazily brings her gaze back to the sky. “The stars.”

She raises her other hand, squeezing a star between her fingers. “You ever wonder what it’s like—I mean… do you ever think about the distance between us and the stars?”

His face crinkles, then follows her outstretched arm to the sky. “I can’t say I do, Marie.”

Her fingers slowly suffocate the star. “My family’s leaving town, Jason.” Her fingers on the stone cease.

Rising to his elbows, Jason rips his gaze from the stars back to her face. Wordless, all he can do is watch the single tear travel down her cheek.

The sliding door slams closed behind her. “You can’t just walk away like that, Allen!”

Allen pauses in the kitchen. “I’m not running, I’m creating distance, Elise. There’s a difference.”

Her grip on the doorknob tightens before releasing it. “Distance… like you’re not distant enough.”

Turning to the island, his knuckles whiten against the counter’s edge. “Don’t.” His voice trembles. “Don’t pull me back in, just—don’t…”

“Pull you back in…” She smiles. “Allen, there’s nothing left to pull.” She tucks her arms inward.

I miss the Giants, I miss lying in their extended shadow. The coolness of the shade that tempered my expectations.

Yes, I miss the Giants, I miss their heavy steps. The rumblings that reminded me I was broken.

Oh, I miss the Giants! Oh, the corded sinew in the shape of hands, which covered my hopeful eyes!

Yes, I miss my Giants, the ones that kept me small. For once I see over the shoulders of my Giants, the horizon becomes vast and the valley sunken deep.

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

The match cord ignited

The powder combusts

Splinters on splinters

The broadside erupts

Howl from the crows nest

Chant from the deck

Whetstones on axes

Aim for the neck

Hooks bite the hull

Arms pull her in

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Volley to volley

The hammers snap forward

Smoke fills the lungs

As the gangway is lowered

Roar in the revel

Axes split skulls

Fear caught in all

Reflected in metal

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

From victory comes swagger

Down to the main hold

Carry the barley

The rum and the silver

Barrels and barrels

No morals to filter

Nothing is sacred

Except for our freedom

Raise the black flag

So that all fear to meet them

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

The match cord ignited

The powder combusts

Splinters on splinters

The broadside erupts

Howl from the crows nest

Chant from the deck

Whetstones on axes

Aim for the neck

Hooks bite the hull

Arms pull her in

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Volley to volley

The hammers snap forward

Smoke fills the lungs

As the gangway is lowered

Roar in the revel

Axes split skulls

Fear caught in all

Reflected in metal

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

From victory comes swagger

Down to the main hold

Carry the barley

The rum and the silver

Barrels and barrels

No morals to filter

Nothing is sacred

Except for our freedom

Raise the black flag

So that all fear to meet them

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

The match cord ignited

The powder combusts

Splinters on splinters

The broadside erupts

Howl from the crows nest

Chant from the deck

Whetstones on axes

Aim for the neck

Hooks bite the hull

Arms pull her in

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Volley to volley

The hammers snap forward

Smoke fills the lungs

As the gangway is lowered

Roar in the revel

Axes split skulls

Fear caught in all

Reflected in metal

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

From victory comes swagger

Down to the main hold

Carry the barley

The rum and the silver

Barrels and barrels

No morals to filter

Nothing is sacred

Except for our freedom

Raise the black flag

So that all fear to meet them

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

The match cord ignited

The powder combusts

Splinters on splinters

The broadside erupts

Howl from the crows nest

Chant from the deck

Whetstones on axes

Aim for the neck

Hooks bite the hull

Arms pull her in

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Volley to volley

The hammers snap forward

Smoke fills the lungs

As the gangway is lowered

Roar in the revel

Axes split skulls

Fear caught in all

Reflected in metal

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

From victory comes swagger

Down to the main hold

Carry the barley

The rum and the silver

Barrels and barrels

No morals to filter

Nothing is sacred

Except for our freedom

Raise the black flag

So that all fear to meet them

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

The match cord ignited

The powder combusts

Splinters on splinters

The broadside erupts

Howl from the crows nest

Chant from the deck

Whetstones on axes

Aim for the neck

Hooks bite the hull

Arms pull her in

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Volley to volley

The hammers snap forward

Smoke fills the lungs

As the gangway is lowered

Roar in the revel

Axes split skulls

Fear caught in all

Reflected in metal

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

From victory comes swagger

Down to the main hold

Carry the barley

The rum and the silver

Barrels and barrels

No morals to filter

Nothing is sacred

Except for our freedom

Raise the black flag

So that all fear to meet them

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

The match cord ignited

The powder combusts

Splinters on splinters

The broadside erupts

Howl from the crows nest

Chant from the deck

Whetstones on axes

Aim for the neck

Hooks bite the hull

Arms pull her in

Black waters

Black galleons

Black cannons

Black flag

Volley to volley

The hammers snap forward

Smoke fills the lungs

As the gangway is lowered

Roar in the revel

Axes split skulls

Fear caught in all

Reflected in metal

Gold treasure

Gold cutlass

Gold tooth

Gold smile

From victory comes swagger

Down to the main hold

Carry the barley

The rum and the silver

Barrels and barrels

No morals to filter

Nothing is sacred

Except for our freedom

Raise the black flag

So that all fear to meet them

I’m reminded time has moved on
when I try to remember your face,
but the shape is soft.

Your voice remains a hollow copy,
I don’t believe was ever yours.

Hands that once held mine
must hold another’s by now—
and that’s okay.

Time’s only mercy is leaving the memories
while removing the ache.

The picture shimmers,
your smile melts;
the closer I am,
the more I feel it fade.

I’m reminded time has moved on
when I try to remember your face,
but the shape is soft.

Your voice remains a hollow copy,
I don’t believe was ever yours.

Hands that once held mine
must hold another’s by now—
and that’s okay.

Time’s only mercy is leaving the memories
while removing the ache.

The picture shimmers,
your smile melts;
the closer I am,
the more I feel it fade.