It does not always hurt

Joaquin Galindo-Navarro ‘22

Close your eyes.

You rest your body in those arms,

Lay your head against their shoulder,

You're an alien on this earth

But here it couldn't matter less, just

Give in.

Hand on the softness of the sweater where

You note the rise and fall of breathing

Like the tide, gentle and lulling

And your thoughts begin to search

Into the future and the nothingness

The storm of sleeplessness and scarecrows

Doesn't seem cold against your skin

When your hand rests upon the cotton, you

Let it go.

You feel the sunlight on your eyelids

The scent of maybe mint

Footsteps of those who know

Time is a material thing

It's been a hundred miles

Since you could rest your soul like this,

To not have to be the one to cling

For dear life amidst the wreck

Instead you're lost at sea together

And your godlessness is getting closer

And the things that matter, matter less

Except the rising and the falling of their chest

Take a breath.