all these poems about people leaving & not one

about how I convinced myself to stay.

I know what you want to hear —

that I slayed the dragon and swallowed my demons

and laughed in the face of my nightmares

and lived happily ever after —

but the truth is much more ordinary.

the truth is I breathe through the pain

even on the days it whistles between my ribs

on every inhale and every exhale

and I celebrate like hell

on the days it doesn’t make a sound.