but a dream

s e v e n

you told me once,

with streaks of black on your cheeks

and dried blood on your lips

that love was a lie.

you started to cry,

so i hugged you.

you squeezed me and

held onto me

as though the wind

was going to carry me away.

i told you everything would be okay,

because being so young,

i was foolish enough to think

they might be.

but you pushed me away and wiped your eyes

before lighting another cigarette and

saying, "nothing's ever okay, flower."