Halloween
I was a queen
Until everything got away from me
Left that life behind
Dressing room
‘God, look at you.
Half fit into a dress, too small, too blue.’
Left that one behind
The smoke will crawl off the balcony.
Fake plants and fire, lookin’ alright.
It’s what the people wanted.
The smoke, it didn’t move.
That all got lost this year.
No sweets in reach.
Funny what distance will tell you.
Shuddering
I look at me
Right as the building’s screaming suddenly
Left my eyes behind
Halloween
Not quite a queen
Sitting on stairs, an alley between four streets
Left that night behind
Sometimes I wonder if those nights are coming back.
Feet down on the ground,
that night I tossed my crown, it only ever hurt my head.
That night, I’m pretty sure that I slept in my own bed.
Every night now, I whisper, sing, pray –
Please whatever don’t let the music go away.
this is your life chuck johnson 